In the letter, the officials say that Haspel’s “qualifications to become CIA Director match or exceed those of most candidates put forward in the Agency’s 70-year history.” They say she “has the integrity, experience and determination” needed to lead the CIA as it faces a world of threats.
The Senate intelligence committee is expected to hold confirmation hearings on Haspel at the end of the month.
The letter does not address questions that have arisen regarding Haspel’s involvement in what the CIA calls “enhanced interrogation” in the days following 9/11.
A former senior intelligence official, speaking anonymously to discuss why the letter was drafted, said the officials were concerned that media coverage focused on Haspel’s role in the now-illegal detention program, rather than on the full range of her career.
Among those signing the letter were officials who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Former CIA Directors John Brennan, Leon Panetta, Michael Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet, and William Webster were among those signing. Other prominent names on the letter include former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Shultz, former Democratic Senator and Medal of Honor recipient Bob Kerrey, former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, and retired Admiral Bill McRaven, the former head of the U.S. Special Operations Command and is best known for being in command of the operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden.
To view the letter in PDF form, click here.
