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John Brennan confirmed as CIA head after filibuster John Brennan confirmed as CIA head after filibuster
(35 minutes later)
The US Senate has confirmed John Brennan as the new director of the CIA, after the White House responded to a senator who had delayed the vote. The US Senate has confirmed John Brennan as the new director of the CIA, after a senator's 13-hour speech delayed the vote.
Senator Rand Paul spoke for nearly 13 hours on Wednesday night, questioning the president's authority to use drones against Americans on US soil. Senator Rand Paul took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to question whether President Obama had authority to order drone strikes on Americans on US soil.
Attorney General Eric Holder responded on Thursday that the president claimed no such power, and Sen Paul relented. Attorney General Eric Holder replied the president claimed no such power.
Mr Brennan served as Mr Obama's top counter-terrorism adviser. Some of Mr Obama's second-term nominees have faced protracted confirmation battles with Senate Republicans.
A 25-year CIA veteran, Mr Brennan had long appeared to hold enough votes to win confirmation. "With the bipartisan confirmation of John Brennan as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Senate has recognised in John the qualities I value so much," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
A final vote was held up by both by Sen Paul's marathon speech, known as a filibuster, and requests from an intelligence panel to see legal documents related to drone strikes. "With John's 25 years of experience at the Agency, our extraordinary men and women of the CIA will be led by one of their own."
He was confirmed by a 63-34 vote. Mr Brennan was recently President Obama's top counter-terrorism adviser and he had long appeared to hold enough votes to win confirmation.
But a final vote was held up by both Sen Paul's marathon speech, known as a filibuster, and requests from an intelligence panel to see White House documents laying out the legal basis for drone strikes on US citizens in anti-militant strikes overseas.
He was confirmed on Thursday by a 63-34 vote.
'Answer is no''Answer is no'
Sen Paul - a critic of the use of drones - demanded a pledge from either President Obama or Mr Holder that drones would not be used in the US to kill terror suspects who are US citizens. Sen Paul - a critic of the use of drones - had demanded a pledge from either President Obama or Mr Holder that drones would not be used in the US to kill US citizens.
As Mr Obama's top counter-terrorism adviser, Mr Brennan helped oversee the drone programme during his first term. As Mr Obama's top counter-terrorism adviser, Mr Brennan helped oversee the drone programme.
Sen Paul began the Senate floor filibuster after Mr Brennan's nomination was approved by a Senate intelligence panel on Tuesday. Sen Paul began the Senate floor filibuster about noon on Wednesday after Mr Brennan's nomination was approved by the Senate intelligence committee on Tuesday.
The Senate intelligence committee had approved the nomination after the White House provided a raft of legal memos on the targeting killing of US citizens in drone strikes.
Also on Wednesday, Mr Holder testified in front of a separate committee and was pressed on the drone programme.Also on Wednesday, Mr Holder testified in front of a separate committee and was pressed on the drone programme.
Sen Paul said Mr Holder's responses in that hearing had come close to assuring him, but he said he was "alarmed" by the difficulty of getting the White House to define clearly what qualified as a legitimate target of a drone strike. Sen Paul said Mr Holder's responses in that hearing had come close assuring him the government would not attack Americans with drones in the US, but he said he was "alarmed" by the difficulty of getting the White House to define clearly what qualified as a legitimate target.
On Thursday, Mr Holder sent a 43-word statement to Sen Paul: "It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: 'Does the president have the authority to use a weaponised drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?'On Thursday, Mr Holder sent a 43-word statement to Sen Paul: "It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: 'Does the president have the authority to use a weaponised drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?'
"The answer to that question is no.""The answer to that question is no."
Sen Paul claimed victory and the Senate proceeded to a vote.
Mr Brennan's nomination was the latest in a series of tough confirmation battles as Mr Obama rounds out his second term leadership team.Mr Brennan's nomination was the latest in a series of tough confirmation battles as Mr Obama rounds out his second term leadership team.
But Mr Brennan largely avoided a personally bruising nomination process like that experienced by Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.But Mr Brennan largely avoided a personally bruising nomination process like that experienced by Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
Mr Hagel was confirmed by a 58-41 Senate vote after Republicans stalled his nomination for more than a week, questioning his past positions on Israel and Iran and his qualification for the job. Mr Hagel was confirmed in a 58-41 Senate vote after Republicans stalled his nomination for more than a week, questioning his past positions on Israel and Iran and his qualification for the job.