WASHINGTON — When Tulsi Gabbard returned to Washington from a clandestine sit-down with Syria’s then-president Bashar Assad eight years ago this month, she was greeted with a flurry of criticism.

Curt Mills Gabbard, who has a reputation as an outsider, looked like a seasoned political professional from the very start. Her opening line was a home run: She said she was motivated to be director of national intelligence because of the intelligence failures that led to the war in Iraq.

Today on CNN 10, we get an update out of Syria as a new government takes shape after the overthrow of an autocratic regime. We also take a look at groundbreaking new findings from asteroid samples that scientists say could hold the building blocks of life.

Tulsi Gabbard’s past statements on Syria, Russia, Ukraine and warrantless spying have all given Republican senators pause. But for some lawmakers another issue looms just as large: Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who released reams of classified data on American surveillance programs in 2013 and then fled to Russia.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's nominee for intelligence director, faced questions at Senate hearing about Syria, Russia and Edward Snowden.

Hayan Hadid was 18 when soldiers arrested him in his pyjamas and took him for execution in Syria's Hama in 1982, during one of the darkest chapters of the Assad

Tulsi Gabbard appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday as part of her confirmation process to serve as director of national intelligence.

Tulsi Gabbard, former congresswoman and Trump's nominee for Director of National Intelligence, faced intense scrutiny during her Senate confirmation hearing. Lawmakers questioned her past remarks on Russia,

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's pick to be director of national intelligence, is set to go before lawmakers Thursday for a confirmation hearing likely to focus on some of her past views on Russia and Syria.

Tulsi Gabbard fought back against what she called “smears,” declaring she is nobody’s “puppet” before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senate Intelligence members pressed Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee to be director of national intelligence, on her national security record.