NATIONAL BRIEFING / WASHINGTON, D.C.
Seven former CIA directors have asked President Obama to quash a criminal investigation into harsh Bush-era interrogations of terrorism suspects.
The CIA directors, who served Democratic and Republican presidents and include three who worked under President George W. Bush, made their request in a letter to the White House.
Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. announced last month that he was appointing an independent counsel to investigate possible abuses by CIA personnel during interrogations.
The seven former CIA directors include Michael V. Hayden, Porter J. Goss and George J. Tenet, who served under Bush; John M. Deutch and R. James Woolsey, who worked for President Clinton; William H. Webster, who served under President George H.W. Bush; and James R. Schlesinger, who ran the agency under President Nixon. Tenet also served under Clinton.
They urged Obama to reverse Holder’s Aug. 24 decision to reopen the investigation of interrogations done after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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