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| Senator Rand Paul's drone filibuster delays CIA nomination | Senator Rand Paul's drone filibuster delays CIA nomination |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A conservative US senator has delayed the nomination of a new CIA chief over questions about the possible use of drones against Americans. | A conservative US senator has delayed the nomination of a new CIA chief over questions about the possible use of drones against Americans. |
| By early evening, Senator Rand Paul had moved into his eighth hour of delaying the vote by standing and speaking without pause, known as a filibuster. | By early evening, Senator Rand Paul had moved into his eighth hour of delaying the vote by standing and speaking without pause, known as a filibuster. |
| The move has delayed a full Senate vote on John Brennan until Thursday. | The move has delayed a full Senate vote on John Brennan until Thursday. |
| Mr Brennan currently serves as a top counter-terrorism adviser at the White House, and was nominated in January. | Mr Brennan currently serves as a top counter-terrorism adviser at the White House, and was nominated in January. |
| As part of the Obama administration's national security team, he helped oversee the drone programme. | As part of the Obama administration's national security team, he helped oversee the drone programme. |
| Sen Paul says he will end the filibuster when the White House or Attorney General Eric Holder say that drones would not be used in the US to kill terrorism suspects who are citizens. | Sen Paul says he will end the filibuster when the White House or Attorney General Eric Holder say that drones would not be used in the US to kill terrorism suspects who are citizens. |
| Mr Brennan's nomination was approved by a Senate intelligence panel after the White House sent the committee a raft of legal memos on the targeting killing of US citizens in drone strikes. | Mr Brennan's nomination was approved by a Senate intelligence panel after the White House sent the committee a raft of legal memos on the targeting killing of US citizens in drone strikes. |
| 'No' | 'No' |
| Sen Paul, the son of former Libertarian Party presidential candidate Ron Paul, began the filibuster shortly before noon (17:00 GMT) on Wednesday. | Sen Paul, the son of former Libertarian Party presidential candidate Ron Paul, began the filibuster shortly before noon (17:00 GMT) on Wednesday. |
| The Kentucky senator said he was "alarmed" by how difficult it has been to get President Barack Obama's administration to clearly define what qualifies as a legitimate target of a drone strike. | The Kentucky senator said he was "alarmed" by how difficult it has been to get President Barack Obama's administration to clearly define what qualifies as a legitimate target of a drone strike. |
| "No president has the right to say he is judge, jury and executioner,'' Sen Paul said, adding he would end the filibuster if the White House clarified no such attack would happen on US soil. | "No president has the right to say he is judge, jury and executioner,'' Sen Paul said, adding he would end the filibuster if the White House clarified no such attack would happen on US soil. |
| In a letter to Sen Paul on 4 March, Attorney General Eric Holder said the US government "had not carried out drone strikes in the United States and had no intention of doing so". | In a letter to Sen Paul on 4 March, Attorney General Eric Holder said the US government "had not carried out drone strikes in the United States and had no intention of doing so". |
| But the US' top lawyer added the it was possible under "extraordinary circumstance", like 9/11 or the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, that the president could authorise lethal military force inside US borders. | But the US' top lawyer added the it was possible under "extraordinary circumstance", like 9/11 or the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, that the president could authorise lethal military force inside US borders. |
| In a heated exchange with Senator Ted Cruz during a hearing earlier in the day, Mr Holder said it was not appropriate to use lethal force - "drones, be it guns or whatever else" - on a US citizen. | In a heated exchange with Senator Ted Cruz during a hearing earlier in the day, Mr Holder said it was not appropriate to use lethal force - "drones, be it guns or whatever else" - on a US citizen. |
| Pushed by Sen Cruz on whether it would be constitutional, not just inappropriate, Mr Holder replied: "Let me be clear: Translate my 'appropriate' to 'no'. I thought I was saying no, all right? No." | Pushed by Sen Cruz on whether it would be constitutional, not just inappropriate, Mr Holder replied: "Let me be clear: Translate my 'appropriate' to 'no'. I thought I was saying no, all right? No." |
| With Sen Paul continuing his filibuster. by late afternoon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the chamber's top Democrat, had called for debate to end, but Sen Paul objected. | |
| At that point, Sen Reid said: "Everyone should plan on coming tomorrow. We're through for the night." | At that point, Sen Reid said: "Everyone should plan on coming tomorrow. We're through for the night." |
| A handful of other Republicans, including Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio of Florida, took to the floor at different times to give Sen Paul a break. | A handful of other Republicans, including Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio of Florida, took to the floor at different times to give Sen Paul a break. |
| So did Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, who has expressed strong doubts about the drone programme, but voted for Mr Brennan in the Senate intelligence committee. | So did Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, who has expressed strong doubts about the drone programme, but voted for Mr Brennan in the Senate intelligence committee. |
| The last talking filibuster was by Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who spoke for more than eight hours against a tax bill in 2010. The longest talking filibuster was recorded by the late Senator Strom Thurmond - just over 24 hours. | The last talking filibuster was by Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who spoke for more than eight hours against a tax bill in 2010. The longest talking filibuster was recorded by the late Senator Strom Thurmond - just over 24 hours. |
| Mr Brennan would require a simple majority in the 100-member chamber to be confirmed as the new CIA director, but must first pass a procedural vote needing 60 votes. | Mr Brennan would require a simple majority in the 100-member chamber to be confirmed as the new CIA director, but must first pass a procedural vote needing 60 votes. |
| Mr Obama's Democrats hold a 55-45 edge in the Senate. | Mr Obama's Democrats hold a 55-45 edge in the Senate. |