The Haspel According to John (McCain)
By Laurie Baron
SAN DIEGO−Gina Haspel’s evasive answers to questions about whether enhanced interrogation techniques are illegal or immoral tortured my memories.
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Gina Haspel ran a Black Site in Thailand, what you might call a Scare B & B, Bondage and Boarding. Having stayed at the Hanoi Hilton, I am acutely aware of such amenities.
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Susan Collins asked Haspel what she would do if Trump gave her a direct order to use waterboarding on a “high-value terrorism suspect.” “I do not believe the President would ask me to do that,” Haspel replied.” Haspel suffers from demagogue dementia and has forgotten that President Trump has asserted, “Torture works. And waterboarding is your minor form. Some people say it’s not actually torture. Let’s assume it is. But they asked me the question, ‘What do you think of waterboarding?’ Absolutely fine. But we should go much stronger than waterboarding.” Perhaps the Committee should ask her what she would do if Dick Cheney were president.
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Gina Haspel destroyed videotapes documenting interrogation sessions with al-Qaeda detainees in 2005. A CIA director subsequently exonerated her because she was following superior orders. This is less than a Rosemary Wood’s excuse and more a Nuremberg Trial defense.
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“I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service & defense. However, her role in overseeing the use of torture is disturbing and her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying.” And that’s no laughing matter!
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Baron is professor emeritus of history at San Diego State University. He may be contacted via lawrence.baron@sdjewishworld.com. San Diego Jewish World points out to new readers that this column is satire, and nothing herein should be taken literally