Obama responds warily to sex scandal, FBI probe

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama responded warily Wednesday to his administration's sudden sex scandal, saying he has seen no evidence that national security was damaged by the revelations that ended his CIA director's career and imperil that of his Afghan war commander.

But the president said he is reserving judgment about how the FBI has handled the investigation that began in the summer but didn't reach his desk until after last week's election.

"I have a lot of confidence, generally, in the FBI," Mr Obama said, qualifying his words of support for the agency and its actions in the case.

The drama unfolded just as Mr Obama was hoping for a smooth transition in his national security team, and comes at a critical time in the Afghan war effort.