Washington, Aug 31 - Former US vice president Dick Cheney and former presidential candidate John McCain Sunday took the Obama administration to task for ordering probe against the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) for alleged excesses against terror suspects.

Appearing on Fox News, the former vice president said investigation against CIA was 'a political move' by the Obama administration. 'I mean, there's no other rationale for why they're doing this,' he said.

He said this unprecedented and 'outrageous' move will be devastate the morale of the CIA and undermine efforts to stop future terror attacks on the US.

Since attorney general Eric H. Holder - the first black to head the Justice Department - has gone ahead with appointing a special prosecutor despite Obama's reluctance not to dig up the past, Cheney told Fox News it was Obama's tactic to 'duck the responsibility'.

Cheney, who was instrumental in formulating the direction of George W. Bush's war against terrorism, justified tough interrogation tactics against terror suspects.