Among those voting for Haspel: McCain's close Senate friend Lindsey Graham

On Wednesday, Sen. John McCain called on his fellow senators to reject the nomination of Gina Haspel as CIA director. McCain was himself a victim of torture—years of it—during the Vietnam War, and has repeatedly condemned the Bush era program of so-called "enhanced interrogation" of captured prisoners, arguing both that torture does not provide effective information and that it is contrary to U.S. values and interests. He believes Haspel's role in supporting such efforts is disqualifying.

He continued: “I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination.”

This, coming from the only survivor of war crimes in the U.S. Senate, should be all that it is necessary to say on the subject. Whether senators believe, after questioning Haspel, that she will or will not follow orders to torture prisoners in the future is absolutely irrelevant; that she was already placed in that position, and acquiesced, is the only necessary information to render her nomination unacceptable. It is obvious.

But the people who have worked alongside John McCain throughout his career are, so far, simply ignoring his call. That future American soldiers will each be put at risk by the international knowledge that the United States tortures prisoners it itself captures, and continues to support, defend, and elevate the perpetrators of such acts is being met with supreme indifference; deferring to the will of the draft-dodging Donald Trump, it appears, is the only thing on their minds.