Washington - Donald Trump's nominee to
head the CIA sought on Thursday to repair damage from the
president-elect's feud with US intelligence agencies, saying
he accepted their findings on Russian hacking, would not comply
if ordered to renew use of harsh interrogation techniques and
would always "have their backs."
Mike Pompeo's testimony at his Senate confirmation hearing
appeared aimed at reassuring staff at the agency he has been
picked to lead, even at the risk of contradicting or distancing
himself from some of Trump's strongest criticism of the
intelligence community.
Diverging from Trump's stated aim of seeking closer ties
with Russia, Pompeo accused the Russian leadership of
"aggressive action" in meddling in the November U.S. elections,
of "asserting itself aggressively" by occupying part of Ukraine
and of doing "doing nearly nothing" to destroy Islamic State.
Pompeo, a Republican member of the House of Representatives
and a former U.S. Army officer, insisted that if necessary he
would be ready to stand up to Trump, who takes office on Jan.
20, and would shield CIA operatives against any effort to
politicize its work.
"You have my commitment that every day, I will not only
speak truth to power, but I will demand that the men and the
women (of the CIA) ... follow my instruction to do that each and
every day," he said.
For weeks, the Republican president-elect questioned the
intelligence agencies' conclusion that Russia used hacking and
other tactics to try to tilt the election in his favor - an
unprecedented breach between an incoming U.S. leader and the
intelligence operatives he will soon command.
Trump said on Wednesday that Russia was behind the hacking
but that other countries were hacking the United States as well.
Asked about the hacking, Pompeo said he was very clear about
what he called an "aggressive action" ordered by the Russian
leadership, and accepted the U.S. intelligence report on the
matter. "I've seen nothing to cast any doubt on the findings in
the report," he said.
Trump this week also furiously denounced intelligence
officials for what he said were leaks to the media by
intelligence agencies of a dossier that makes unverified,
salacious allegations about his contacts in Russia.
By contrast, Pompeo voiced strong support for the agency,
saying he has seen Central Intelligence Agency staff "walk
through fire."
He said he understood it would be a problem "if folks were
afraid there would be political retribution" and promised "to
have their backs at every single moment. You have my word I will
do that."
Interrogation techniques
Pompeo also signaled he would stand firm if necessary
against Trump on the issue of enhanced interrogation techniques
for terrorism suspects. Such techniques, which were introduced
under President George W. Bush after the September 11, 2001 attacks
on the United States, are widely regarded as torture and their
use has been banned by Congress.
Trump said during the election campaign the United States
should bring back tactics such as waterboarding, which simulates
drowning, although since the election he has said he has heard
arguments against such methods.
Asked about the issue, Pompeo said that he would "absolutely
not" restart enhanced interrogation techniques by the CIA if
asked by the president-elect.
He noted it would take a change in the law for the CIA to
use interrogation techniques that go beyond those permitted by
the Army, adding he could not imagine that Trump would order the
CIA to use illegal methods.
Pompeo, a conservative lawmaker from Kansas who is on the
House Intelligence Committee, emphasized that he would be a
neutral assessor of challenges and threats. In opening remarks
he said he understood that if confirmed his role would switch
from policymaker to provider of information.
Noting that the CIA does not make policy on any country, he
added, "it is a policy decision as to what to do with Russia,
but it will be essential that the Agency provide policymakers
with accurate intelligence and clear-eyed analysis of Russian
activities."
Equally, he said that he would drop the opposition he has
had as a lawmaker to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and
major powers. He said the CIA must be "rigorously fair and
objective" in assessing the deal.
But he called the Iranians "professionals at cheating" and
said he would work to improve U.S. capability to detect
violations of Tehran's commitment to curb its nuclear
activities.
He called Iran an "emboldened, disruptive player in the
Middle East, fueling tensions" with Sunni Muslim allies of the
United States.
Pompeo listed it among the challenges facing the United
States along with what he called a "resilient" Islamic State and
the fallout from Syria's long civil war.
Pompeo also named North Korea, which he said had
"dangerously accelerated its nuclear and ballistic missile
capabilities." He said China was creating "real tensions" with
its activities in the South China Sea and in cyberspace as it
flexed its muscles and expanded its military and economic reach.