Brennan defends al-Awlaki drone strike as part of war with al Qaeda
Feb-09-2013

The administration's top counterterrorism adviser said Thursday he was aware of the CIA's enhanced interrogation techniques that critics describe as torture while serving as a top official at the agency but did nothing to stop them because he had no oversight role.
"I did not take steps to stop the CIA use of those techniques," John Brennan told his Senate confirmation hearing. Brennan was nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the spy agency after Gen. David Petraeus resigned from the job over an extramarital affair.
The issue was controversial in the administration of former President George W. Bush in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In answering questions about the techniques, Brennan acknowledged that he knew another part of the agency was carrying out a directive from the Bush administration.
"I had awareness that the agency was being asked to do it; I was aware that the agency was moving ahead on it," he told the Senate Intelligence Committee, adding that he was not involved in managing it.

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