On Fox & Friends, Condoleezza Rice invokes 9/11 to defend Gina Haspel against torture accusations

Rice: “I am offended that people who were not there and didn't have to make the tough decisions now want to second-guess.”

From the May 1 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

Video file

CONDOLEEZZA RICE (FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE): I was the national security advisor on September 11th, and I just want to say on this anniversary of his death, thank you, thank you, thank you to the men and women who protected us for all of those years, and especially to those brave people who got him.

BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): [Acting CIA Director] Gina Haspel has to defend her actions during that time in the CIA. What's your reaction to that? 

RICE: My reaction is if you were not in a position of authority on September 11th, you have no idea the pressures that we faced to try and make sure that this country wasn't attacked again. Walk a mile in our shoes and you’ll understand some of the things that --

KILMEADE: So you're almost offended when people are judging her? 

RICE: Well I am offended that people who were not there and who didn't have to make the tough decisions now want to second-guess. I think that -- look, we're an open society, people can debate, there’s nothing wrong with that, but the fine professionals who kept us safe deserve our praise, not our criticism. 

Previously:

Architect of CIA torture program defends Trump CIA pick Gina Haspel: “We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot if she's not confirmed”

Fox News hosts excited that Trump's new CIA pick tortured detainees at a CIA black site

Gina Haspel, John Brennan, and CIA “accountability”

Torture fan Sean Hannity still hasn't been waterboarded like he promised