Seven former CIA directors put pressure on Obama

Attorney General Eric Holder with President Obama looking on

President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder are coming under fire as seven former CIA directors have sent a letter to the President, asking him to use his executive power to override the Attorney General’s decision to launch a criminal investigation into the CIA’s interrogation program. This comes on the heels of Obama’s push for health care reform, the staple of his presidency, and the announcement that he has decided to scrap the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.

The letter claims that Holder’s decision compromises agents beliefs that they can legally perform their jobs, without repercussions.

“Those men and women who undertake difficult intelligence assignments in the aftermath of an attack such as September 11 must believe there is permanence in the legal rules that govern their actions…”

Such an atmosphere created by the Attorney Generals decision, severely undermines national security. In recent weeks, President Obama had seemed content to let Holder make the decision to move forward with the investigation. However, the political pressure put on the President by the former directors letter, Obama may be forced to take a stand, one way or another.

The former directors who signed the letter to the President include Michael Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet, John Deutch, R. James Woolsey, William Webster and James R. Schlesinger.

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