HIS OWN STAR WARS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260004-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 15, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: February 16, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/15: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260004-3
STAT
agar on the spot, but sources
say he refused. "It would seem
self-incriminating for him not
to fight to keep his three-star
status," says a friend. Poin-
dexter's clock began ticking in
early December, following his
"" sil
his third star to avoid putting_
Re
former national-security advis-
er John Poindexter. By law, the
three-star admiral will revert
to two-star status unless-
within 90 days of his leaving
the NSC Post-President Rea-
gan recommends him to the
Senate for a new three-star job.
Poindexter can't even retire
with three stars unless the
president and Senate concur.
Navy officials recently suggest-
ed that Poindexter relin
NEWSWEEK
16 February 1987
e White House faces yet an-
other embarrassment over
resigntion, so Reagan would
have tao seek Senate confirma-
tion of the admiral's rank in
March, just prior to the start
of Iran-contra hearings. "If
the president feels Poindexter
served him loyally despite any
mistakes of judgment, it would
be unfair to deny him his three-
'star status," said one Reagan
aide. "If he sends the recom-
mendation to the Hill, people
will say it's a whitewash"ter
an effort to discourage damag-
ing testimony.
New`_CIA_Director. F
_M.GatesottheJo in large part
because is ailing predecessor,
William c was so set on
it. When chief of staff Donald
Regan and Attorney General
Edwin Meese visited Casey in
the hospital on Jan. 29-the
WALLY MCNAMEE-NEWSWEEK
Status struggto: Poindexter
only time since his brain sur-
gery-they hoped he'd resign
but wanted him to feel comfort-
able about it. So when Casey
asked that Gates get the post,
theywerehappytooblige. Gates
was already a strong contender,
said a White House aide, "but
Casey's say-so tipped the scales
entirely in his favor."
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/15: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301260004-3