Obama to nominate CIA director

AP

John Brennan, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, arrived in Israel on a surprise visit to discuss the situation in Syria.

Washington -

US President Barack Obama on Monday will nominate White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan as CIA director, an administration official said.

“Brennan has the full trust and confidence of the president,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP. “Over the past four years, he has been involved in virtually all major national security issues and will be able to hit the ground running at CIA.”

His impending nomination comes to light as Obama puts in place a revamped foreign policy and security team, after announcing in December that he has chosen US Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

Officials also have confirmed that the president on Monday will tap former US senator Chuck Hagel as his new defence secretary to succeed Leon Panetta.

The US official said Brennan, 57, was selected because of his “career of service and extraordinary record,” including decades of service at the US spy agency, and will make “an outstanding director of the CIA.”

“Since 9/11, he has been on the front lines in the fight against al-Qaeda,” the official said.

“Over the past four years, he has been involved in virtually all major national security issues, and will be able to hit the ground running at CIA,” said the official, adding that Brennan - who would take over at the spy agency after the resignation of David Petraeus following a sex scandal - “has the full trust and confidence of the president.” - Sapa-AFP