Haspel says CIA “not in the business” of restarting program
Haspel said at the time, the interrogation program was a “new subject” for her as the CIA lacked interrogation expertise at the agency.
“We didn’t have interrogators. I was told interrogation experts designed the program and the president of the United States had approved it as well as a trusted leadership at the CIA,” she explained.
Haspel acknlowedged that her views on the program evolved after the attacks on 9/11, saying “I’m not going to sit here with the benefit of hindsight and judge the very good people who made the hard decisions at the time, but as I mentioned, this country has had the opportunity to reflect because we have some space were not fearing another attack, we have deliberated about the standards we want to use interrogation.”
When asked if the president would ask her to restart or use interrogation techniques, Haspel said she she would not believe the president would ask her to do that, despite other U.S. government entities conducting interrogation.
“We’re not in the business of interrogating detainees,” said Haspel. She added firmly, “We’re not getting back in that business.”
Pressed further on the president potentially ordering her to get back into that business, Haspel said under any circumstances, she would not restart an interrogation program at CIA.
