Senate holds Brennan confirmation hearing as CIA candidate

John Brennan

Wikipedia-White House

The US Senate Intelligence Committee is to hold a confirmation hearing for John Brennan, President Barack Obama's nominee to become the next CIA director.

Brennan, who has been Obama's counterterrorism adviser, is expected to answer some difficult questions at the hearing over the expanded use of armed drone aircraft to kill terrorism suspects overseas. He will also have to answer questions on the deadly attacks last year on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.

Brennan is a 25-year CIA veteran who withdrew his name from consideration for the top CIA post in 2008 after criticism from liberals that he had not done enough to condemn harsh interrogation techniques like waterboarding used during the Bush administration.