At Brennan hearing, U.S. drone policy in the spotlight

John Brennan, President Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, goes before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee today for confirmation hearings to become CIA Director. / Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

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John Brennan heads to the Senate today for the first step toward his confirmation to be director of the CIA. But as the president's top counterterrorism adviser goes under the microscope before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee this afternoon, so will the administration's controversial, mostly-clandestine policy of targeted, "drone strike" killings.

Brennan's nomination itself hasn't been widely controversial: Unlike with Mr. Obama's defense secretary nominee, former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and the potential nomination of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to be Secretary of State, no lawmakers have openly objected to the nomination of the long-serving counterintelligence official, who is viewed as a close confidante of the president.

But as the person who has for the past four years overseen and managed the White House's kill lists, and essentially institutionalized the drone program itself, Brennan's nomination has highlighted a policy that is as controversial as it is under wraps - and a handful of senators vowed this week to use his confirmation hearings as an opportunity to learn more about who and under what circumstances the White House has authorized the killing of American citizens through its drone program.

Brennan's role in the U.S. drone program has taken on a particularly renewed level of scrutiny this week: On Monday, NBC published a confidential Justice Department memo outlining the expansive justification with which the U.S. authorizes the use of drone strikes.

Following suit, the New York Times and the Washington Post, among other publications, revealed the existence of a widely known but previously unreported CIA drone base in Saudi Arabia, with which Brennan reportedly worked closely.

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White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has been adamant in his defense of both Brennan and the drone program, which he praised as "legal," "ethical," and "wise." And amid a chorus of senators' requests for more information about the specific legal justifications for authorizing the killing of Americans in the course of counterterrorism operations, a White House official announced Wednesday evening that Mr. Obama was directing the Justice Department to provide congressional intelligence committees with access to classified information explaining the legal rationale for those strikes. Even so, this issue promises to come up at today's hearing.

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"We're expecting to get our questions answered," said Mike Saccone, a spokesman for Sen. Mark Udall, D-Col., of today's hearing, in an interview with CBSNews.com. Saccone said Udall has "not decided where he is on the Brennan nomination," but that his decision is contingent on today's hearings.

The question of drone strikes isn't the only controversial counterintelligence issue that's bound to get a platform today: Lawmakers have also expressed concerns about Brennan's position on enhanced interrogation techniques, particularly given his high-level position at the CIA during a period when those methods were used, and have pledged to press him for specifics about what he knew and when.

Brooke Sammon, a spokeswoman for Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also cited the spate of "worrisome" national security leaks in 2012 "should be a topic for Mr. Brennan's nomination hearing," though she declined to specify whether or not Rubio himself would ask Brennan about subject. As for his vote, Sammon said Rubio would not "prejudge" the nominee prior to his hearing.

In a letter to Brennan released publicly last night, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who does not sit on the SSIC, demanded answers to questions addressing all three issues.

"Is there any record from this period of time of your alleged opposition to waterboarding? If so, please identify these records," wrote McCain, a Vietnam war veteran who was subjected to years of torture after becoming a prisoner of war in 1967. "Do you believe that intelligence gained from detainees who were subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques while in CIA custody was directly responsible for the disruption of active terrorist plots?"

Most Republican senators, however, have been relatively quiet on Brennan's nomination since its announcement: Even Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has objected vehemently to a number of Mr. Obama's potential cabinet picks, only expressed lingering concerns about what happened during the Sept. 11 Benghazi attacks, noting that his "support for a delay in confirmation is not directed at Mr. Brennan" himself. Given that Graham has been granted yet another hearing related to Benghazi today with outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, there's no indication Republicans will make put up a major fight to sink Brennan's chances. 

Even among Democrats who object to Brennan's drone policies, the hearings will serve more as an opportunity to publicly seek information about the secretive program than to derail the president's pick to lead the CIA, according to Micah Zenko, of the Council on Foreign Relations, who writes extensively on drones and U.S. counterterrorism. 

"There will certainly be some discussion about targeted killings, but Brennan has established positions on this policy," he said. "We'll hear what we've heard before."

Zenko argues that while Brennan has been "essential in codifying and institutionalizing the process of targeted killing," he'll also be taking something of a demotion as  CIA director. "Brennan has less power at Langley than in the basement of the White House," he said, where Brennan worked from the basement and met with the president several times a day. "At Langley, his boss is James Clapper." 

Not to mention the fact that Brennan's work during Mr. Obama's tenure has been reflective of the president's own policies. Even if tapping Brennan to direct the CIA signals a continuity of the administration's drone program, it would be unusual for members of the president's own party to block a nominee who espoused his ideology -- even if they don't like it.

"They may make for some strange bedfellows, but I think it'll be pretty much smooth sailing," said Max Abrahms, a fellow and international security expert at Johns Hopkins University. "I think the reality is that drones are the way of the future."

[johnlockesghost]

Drones are nothing more than high-priced assassination devices that provide greater security to the assassin. Since I favor assassination as a tool to give heads of state something to think about before launching offensive acts against others, its actual use is economical as it both saves lives and money. Had bush employed it via our special forces, in his so-called war on terror, many of out service people as well as our treasury would have been spared. Be aware however, that our use of drones and other assassination means on foreigners and foreign nations, also allows them to do the same to us.

[corbolavirus]

Brennan is a cold blooded psychopath and a war criminal. He's an old Adam Lanza with college degrees and a high paying job. He quite obviously hates human life to be able to execute unarmed teenagers.

[TimeToEvolve]

The drone program is why almost everyone in the world hates American foreign policy. And considers us the world's largest sponsor of state terror.

[Retired_in_Va]

If he is working with al-queda, I do not care if he is white, black, brown, green, arab, american, from MARS or whatever. He is a terrorist!! He is a threat to the United Stated!! Like any other terrorist, if we get the chance, he should be history (DEAD!!!). end of story.

He may have been born in America, but he is NOT an American!! And by being a terrorist he gives up all right, and hopefully get his just desserts!!

[wfw3536]

So where are all of the peace organizations? Where is there outrage? Oh, I guess it is their hypocrisy because it is Obama and his administration that have killed hundreds of innocent folks. These peace organizations, like Code Red are such a joke when it comes to speaking out when Obama's is in office.

[RobertVBrand]

If the drone policy memo came from a Republican president, the Consies would say the victims deserved it. But they are so blindly anti-Obama they now are crying about attacks against American citizens.

[RobertVBrand]

Yellowstone, apparently you have trouble reading. I didn't say anything about criticism (there I go again -- using words over one syllable that you have trouble understanding) of the Republicans during the Bush administration -- just about the spate of criticism coming from brain-dead people who formerly approved of the policy.

[cbs_bull]

What's wrong to kill enemy in the war against terrorists or extremists? They're trying to attack America and to kill Americans every day. Drone is an excellent and smart tool used to kill terrorists. Shame to those politicians, no matter which party they're from, who played political games about using drones.

[nottblu]

According to the leftwingers it was bad when Bush was president, now it's good that Obama is president. I agree with the policies, it's the left that caused the divide and polarization in this country strictly because of their politics. Same with guns, they hate guns until a good guy with one uses it to save their own lives.

[nottblu]

When the hated Bush opened Guantanimo for terrorists captured on the battle field the left SCREAMED AND CRITISIZED, Obama promised to close it, he didn't, the left is silent.

When Bush enacted the Patriot Act the left SCREAMED AND CRITISIZED, Obama promised to repeal it, he didn't in fact he renewed it, the left is silent.

When Bush used tough interrogation techniques to gleen info which he got to thwart future attacks the left SCREAMED AND CRITISIZED, Obama and the CIA still use it, the left is silent.

Now Obama can summarilly EXECUTE US citizens if he even SUSPECTS they may be terrorists without due process, he has become judge jury and executioner, the left is silent, the left continues to defend their messiah.

HYPOCRITES! Of the HIGHEST degree..... Obama can do no wrong, he is the dear leader, he has a cult following that includes the media.

One can only imagine the thousand plus insulting hateful posts if this president were a republican.

[nottblu]

simply pointing out the hypocrisy of the leftwingers at this site, ok?

[Retired_in_Va]

Should not matter if it is a Democrat or Republican running this process with the drones, this should be a non issue. He WAS a terrorist (PERIOD). When he joined al-queda, as far as I am concerned, he gave up his American citizenship and rights! He became a target, just like Bin Laden. There should be no questions, apologies, NOTHING!!

[OldTimeTruth]

Simple, hire Brennan fire congress. MaCain first to go.

[aintfakin]

Hes4Stupidity replies:
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Don't listen to Aintfakin because Hes4Stupidity.
More childish rationalizing by the hypocrites on the left.
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pretty funny that this cretin thinks he is holding the high moral ground.
Tell what sanctimonious boy
go run off and join an Al Qada cell. Start planning terrorist attacks against this country.
We will have a lottery to see who gets to push the drone button against your patheticazz and most of your right wing buddies will enter it.