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| Obama praises Petraeus's record as lawmakers quiz FBI director Mueller | Obama praises Petraeus's record as lawmakers quiz FBI director Mueller |
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| Barack Obama has brushed aside Republican suggestions of a coverup over the FBI investigation of the former CIA director, David Petraeus, as critics question why the White House was not informed about the probe until after last week's presidential election. | Barack Obama has brushed aside Republican suggestions of a coverup over the FBI investigation of the former CIA director, David Petraeus, as critics question why the White House was not informed about the probe until after last week's presidential election. |
| "The FBI has its own protocols in terms of how they proceed," the president told the first press conference since his re-election. "One of the challenges here is we're not supposed to meddle in criminal investigations, and that's our practice." | "The FBI has its own protocols in terms of how they proceed," the president told the first press conference since his re-election. "One of the challenges here is we're not supposed to meddle in criminal investigations, and that's our practice." |
| Members of Congress are questioning why the attorney general, Eric Holder, and the FBI director, Robert Mueller, did not notify the president and the heads of congressional intelligence committees about the months-long Petraeus investigation after it was discovered he was having an affair and a separate one into General John Allen, the US commander in Afghanistan, over emails to Jill Kelley. Kelley's complaint about harassing emails from Petraeus's mistress, Paula Broadwell, set in motion the investigation that forced the CIA director from office. | Members of Congress are questioning why the attorney general, Eric Holder, and the FBI director, Robert Mueller, did not notify the president and the heads of congressional intelligence committees about the months-long Petraeus investigation after it was discovered he was having an affair and a separate one into General John Allen, the US commander in Afghanistan, over emails to Jill Kelley. Kelley's complaint about harassing emails from Petraeus's mistress, Paula Broadwell, set in motion the investigation that forced the CIA director from office. |
| The FBI notified Holder about the Petraeus investigation in the late summer but the information did not reach the White House until after last week's presidential election when Mueller informed the national intelligence director, James Clapper. Clapper swiftly told Petraeus he should resign. | The FBI notified Holder about the Petraeus investigation in the late summer but the information did not reach the White House until after last week's presidential election when Mueller informed the national intelligence director, James Clapper. Clapper swiftly told Petraeus he should resign. |
| Lamar Smith, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives judiciary committee, has written to Holder and Mueller seeking "clarification" on the timelines and why the White House and Congress were not informed earlier. | Lamar Smith, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives judiciary committee, has written to Holder and Mueller seeking "clarification" on the timelines and why the White House and Congress were not informed earlier. |
| Mueller was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to explain the FBI's position. Obama said he is withholding judgement on whether he should have been told earlier about the investigation. | Mueller was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to explain the FBI's position. Obama said he is withholding judgement on whether he should have been told earlier about the investigation. |
| "It's also possible that if we'd been told then you'd be sitting here saying why were we interfering in a criminal investigation," he told a reporter. | "It's also possible that if we'd been told then you'd be sitting here saying why were we interfering in a criminal investigation," he told a reporter. |
| The FBI pursued the investigation, even though it concluded no criminal act had been committed, amid concerns about a potential security breach and speculation that Petraeus might have been open to blackmail over the affair. Obama said he does not believe national security was compromised. | The FBI pursued the investigation, even though it concluded no criminal act had been committed, amid concerns about a potential security breach and speculation that Petraeus might have been open to blackmail over the affair. Obama said he does not believe national security was compromised. |
| "I have no evidence at this point from what I've seen that classified information was disclosed that in any way would have had a negative impact on our national security," he said. | "I have no evidence at this point from what I've seen that classified information was disclosed that in any way would have had a negative impact on our national security," he said. |
| The president went out of his way to praise Petraeus as head of the CIA and military commander in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying he provided "extraordinary service" to his country and has left it safer. | The president went out of his way to praise Petraeus as head of the CIA and military commander in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying he provided "extraordinary service" to his country and has left it safer. |
| "My main hope now is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career," said Obama. | "My main hope now is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single side note on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career," said Obama. |
| Republicans have hinted at suspicions that Holder may deliberately have sat on the information in order to save the president the embarrassment of Petraeus's resignation in the days before the election. | Republicans have hinted at suspicions that Holder may deliberately have sat on the information in order to save the president the embarrassment of Petraeus's resignation in the days before the election. |
| Senator Susan Collins said: "I'm puzzled by much of what has occurred in the FBI investigation." | Senator Susan Collins said: "I'm puzzled by much of what has occurred in the FBI investigation." |
| Had Petraeus quit before the election it is likely his resignation would have been seen, at least in part, as tied to questions over the CIA's role in the controversy over the killing in Benghazi of the US ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans, including two CIA security men, were killed. Peter King, chairman of the homeland security committee, has questioned whether the fact that Petraeus knew he was under investigation affected his testimony to Congress about the security failures around the Benghazi attack and the administration's misstatements about the circumstances of the killings in the immediate aftermath. King said that so long as Petraeus was in his job, he was likely to remain loyal to the White House version of events in Benghazi. Petraeus has agreed to testify to the Senate intelligence committee about the attack, probably on Friday, even though his scheduled appearance as CIA director was cancelled after his resignation. The committee is to hold closed door hearings but some Republican senators, led by John McCain, are pressing for the establishment of open Watergate-style Congressional investigation to look into the security failings that led to Stevens' death, including claims that the state department turned down requests for additional security in Libya, and whether the White House attempted to cover up the circumstances of the attack by saying it was spontaneous. | Had Petraeus quit before the election it is likely his resignation would have been seen, at least in part, as tied to questions over the CIA's role in the controversy over the killing in Benghazi of the US ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans, including two CIA security men, were killed. Peter King, chairman of the homeland security committee, has questioned whether the fact that Petraeus knew he was under investigation affected his testimony to Congress about the security failures around the Benghazi attack and the administration's misstatements about the circumstances of the killings in the immediate aftermath. King said that so long as Petraeus was in his job, he was likely to remain loyal to the White House version of events in Benghazi. Petraeus has agreed to testify to the Senate intelligence committee about the attack, probably on Friday, even though his scheduled appearance as CIA director was cancelled after his resignation. The committee is to hold closed door hearings but some Republican senators, led by John McCain, are pressing for the establishment of open Watergate-style Congressional investigation to look into the security failings that led to Stevens' death, including claims that the state department turned down requests for additional security in Libya, and whether the White House attempted to cover up the circumstances of the attack by saying it was spontaneous. |
| Obama hit back at McCain over Republican attempts to accuse Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, of being part of a coverup because she initially gave misleading interviews immediately after the attack based on an intelligence briefing. McCain said he would work to block Rice's nomination as secretary of state if Obama put her forward to succeed Hillary Clinton. | Obama hit back at McCain over Republican attempts to accuse Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, of being part of a coverup because she initially gave misleading interviews immediately after the attack based on an intelligence briefing. McCain said he would work to block Rice's nomination as secretary of state if Obama put her forward to succeed Hillary Clinton. |
| "I think it's important to find out what happened in Benghazi and I'm happy to cooperate in any way Congress wants," said Obama. "But when they go after the UN ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me." | "I think it's important to find out what happened in Benghazi and I'm happy to cooperate in any way Congress wants," said Obama. "But when they go after the UN ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me." |
| Rice initially portrayed the attack as a spontaneous response to an anti-Muslim video on the web which also prompted protests in Egypt and other places. Republicans say that the scale and intensity of the Benghazi attack suggest a well organised and pre-planned operation and say there is evidence of al-Qaeda involvement. | Rice initially portrayed the attack as a spontaneous response to an anti-Muslim video on the web which also prompted protests in Egypt and other places. Republicans say that the scale and intensity of the Benghazi attack suggest a well organised and pre-planned operation and say there is evidence of al-Qaeda involvement. |
| The US military commander in Africa, General Carter Ham, waded into the issue on Wednesday by saying that some of those involved in the Benghazi assault had links to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). | The US military commander in Africa, General Carter Ham, waded into the issue on Wednesday by saying that some of those involved in the Benghazi assault had links to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). |
| "There is a growing network of violent extremist organisations and it appears to me very likely that some of the terrorists who participated in the attack in Benghazi have at least some linkages to AQIM," Ham said in Paris. "That is not to say that it was AQIM which planned or organised or led the activity but clearly some of the individuals had some linkages." | "There is a growing network of violent extremist organisations and it appears to me very likely that some of the terrorists who participated in the attack in Benghazi have at least some linkages to AQIM," Ham said in Paris. "That is not to say that it was AQIM which planned or organised or led the activity but clearly some of the individuals had some linkages." |
| The Pentagon has moved against Broadwell and Kelley in the wake of the investigations being made public. | The Pentagon has moved against Broadwell and Kelley in the wake of the investigations being made public. |
| The defence department withdrew Broadwell's security clearance as an intelligence officer in the military reserve. It was reported that classified material had been found on her computer by the FBI. | The defence department withdrew Broadwell's security clearance as an intelligence officer in the military reserve. It was reported that classified material had been found on her computer by the FBI. |
| The Pentagon also suspended Kelley's pass to move freely around the US central command at MacDill air force base in Tampa, Florida. She will now require an escort to enter the base where she got to know both Petraeus and Allen while arranging social programmes. | The Pentagon also suspended Kelley's pass to move freely around the US central command at MacDill air force base in Tampa, Florida. She will now require an escort to enter the base where she got to know both Petraeus and Allen while arranging social programmes. |
| Both she and Allen have denied having an affair after it was revealed that they exchanged a large volume of emails over the past two years, the contents of which raised suspicions among FBI investigators. | Both she and Allen have denied having an affair after it was revealed that they exchanged a large volume of emails over the past two years, the contents of which raised suspicions among FBI investigators. |
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