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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsProPublica issues correction & apology: Gina Haspel did NOT Oversee Waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah
https://www.propublica.org/article/cia-cables-detail-its-new-deputy-directors-role-in-tortureOn Feb. 22, 2017, ProPublica published a story that inaccurately described Gina Haspels role in the treatment of Abu Zubaydah, a suspected al-Qaida leader who was imprisoned by the CIA at a secret black site in Thailand in 2002.
The story said that Haspel, a career CIA officer who President Trump has nominated to be the next director of central intelligence, oversaw the clandestine base where Zubaydah was subjected to waterboarding and other coercive interrogation methods that are widely seen as torture. The story also said she mocked the prisoners suffering in a private conversation. Neither of these assertions is correct and we retract them. It is now clear that Haspel did not take charge of the base until after the interrogation of Zubaydah ended.
Our account of Haspels actions was drawn in part from declassified agency cables and CIA-reviewed books which referred to the official overseeing Zubaydahs interrogation at a secret prison in Thailand as chief of base. The books and cables redacted the name of the official, as is routinely done in declassified documents referring to covert operations.
-snip-
At about the same time, we approached the CIAs press office with an extensive list of questions about the cables and Haspels role in running the Thai prison, particularly her dealings with Zubaydah.
An agency spokesman declined to answer any of those questions but released a statement that was quoted in the article, asserting that nearly every piece of reporting that you are seeking comment on is incorrect in whole or in part.
The CIA did not comment further on the story after its publication and we were not aware of any further questions about its accuracy until this week.
The February 2017 ProPublica story did accurately report that Haspel later rose to a senior position at CIA headquarters, where she pushed her bosses to destroy the tapes of Zubaydahs waterboarding. Her direct boss, the head of the agencys Counterterrorism Center, ultimately signed the order to feed the 92 tapes into a shredder. Her actions in that instance, and in the waterboarding of al-Nashiri, are likely to be the focus of questions at her confirmation hearings.
Dean Boyd, director of the CIAs office of public affairs, praised Haspels 30 years of public service and said Thursday in a statement that her qualifications and capabilities would be evident in the hearing process.
It is important to note that she has spent nearly her entire CIA career undercover, Boyd said. Much of what is in the public domain about her is inaccurate. We are pleased that ProPublica is willing to acknowledge its mistakes and correct the record regarding its claims about Ms. Haspel.
A few reflections on what went wrong in our reporting and editing process.
The awkward communications between officials barred from disclosing classified information and reporters trying to reveal secrets in which there is legitimate public interest can sometimes end in miscommunication. In this instance, we failed to understand the message the CIAs press office was trying to convey in its statement.
None of this in any way excuses our mistakes. We at ProPublica hold government officials responsible for their missteps, and we must be equally accountable. This error was particularly unfortunate because it muddied an important national debate about Haspel and the CIAs recent history. To her, and to our readers, we can only apologize, correct the record and make certain that we do better in the future.
The story said that Haspel, a career CIA officer who President Trump has nominated to be the next director of central intelligence, oversaw the clandestine base where Zubaydah was subjected to waterboarding and other coercive interrogation methods that are widely seen as torture. The story also said she mocked the prisoners suffering in a private conversation. Neither of these assertions is correct and we retract them. It is now clear that Haspel did not take charge of the base until after the interrogation of Zubaydah ended.
Our account of Haspels actions was drawn in part from declassified agency cables and CIA-reviewed books which referred to the official overseeing Zubaydahs interrogation at a secret prison in Thailand as chief of base. The books and cables redacted the name of the official, as is routinely done in declassified documents referring to covert operations.
-snip-
At about the same time, we approached the CIAs press office with an extensive list of questions about the cables and Haspels role in running the Thai prison, particularly her dealings with Zubaydah.
An agency spokesman declined to answer any of those questions but released a statement that was quoted in the article, asserting that nearly every piece of reporting that you are seeking comment on is incorrect in whole or in part.
The CIA did not comment further on the story after its publication and we were not aware of any further questions about its accuracy until this week.
The February 2017 ProPublica story did accurately report that Haspel later rose to a senior position at CIA headquarters, where she pushed her bosses to destroy the tapes of Zubaydahs waterboarding. Her direct boss, the head of the agencys Counterterrorism Center, ultimately signed the order to feed the 92 tapes into a shredder. Her actions in that instance, and in the waterboarding of al-Nashiri, are likely to be the focus of questions at her confirmation hearings.
Dean Boyd, director of the CIAs office of public affairs, praised Haspels 30 years of public service and said Thursday in a statement that her qualifications and capabilities would be evident in the hearing process.
It is important to note that she has spent nearly her entire CIA career undercover, Boyd said. Much of what is in the public domain about her is inaccurate. We are pleased that ProPublica is willing to acknowledge its mistakes and correct the record regarding its claims about Ms. Haspel.
A few reflections on what went wrong in our reporting and editing process.
The awkward communications between officials barred from disclosing classified information and reporters trying to reveal secrets in which there is legitimate public interest can sometimes end in miscommunication. In this instance, we failed to understand the message the CIAs press office was trying to convey in its statement.
None of this in any way excuses our mistakes. We at ProPublica hold government officials responsible for their missteps, and we must be equally accountable. This error was particularly unfortunate because it muddied an important national debate about Haspel and the CIAs recent history. To her, and to our readers, we can only apologize, correct the record and make certain that we do better in the future.
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ProPublica issues correction & apology: Gina Haspel did NOT Oversee Waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah (Original Post)
highplainsdem
Mar 2018
OP
You're welcome! I'd posted about the earlier stories, too, so I'm glad ProPublica corrected this.
highplainsdem
Mar 2018
#3
Things like that certainly tend to discredit the media and/or the messenger.
LanternWaste
Mar 2018
#7
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)1. I'm glad to have the new information. Thanks, Highplains.
Guess I need to read updates on what occurred after she took charge.
highplainsdem
(48,974 posts)3. You're welcome! I'd posted about the earlier stories, too, so I'm glad ProPublica corrected this.
dchill
(38,481 posts)2. Well THAT'S a cluster....
Fuck.
highplainsdem
(48,974 posts)4. Definitely.
herding cats
(19,564 posts)5. Thanks for this.
Ill read it in depth later.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)6. Embarrassing
How do they run with that story without triple checking the facts?
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)7. Things like that certainly tend to discredit the media and/or the messenger.
Seems as irresponsible as calling people 'delusional' simply because they believed Roy Moore would lose to Doug Jones.
Things like that certainly do tend to discredit the media and/or the messenger.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)8. Exactly
It's frustrating that supposedly reputable media sources are no more credible than some guy posting predictions on a message board.