John Brennan CIA Director Confirmation Hearings: Congress May Try to Regulate Drone Strikes

The confirmation hearing for John Brennan, President Obama's pick to head the CIA, continued as the Senate probed drone strikes that kill American citizens.

Brennan's questioning by the Senate was less contentious than that of Chuck Hagel, but that was partly because Brennan remained tight-lipped about the strikes, even as Democratic senators, loathe to be too harsh on one of Obama's nominees, raised tepid questions about the program.

The criticisms centered on oversight of the strikes, including their rationale, evidence and selection of targets -- all of which has been of limited availability to Congress.

While the CIA released some classified information directly to senators, their staff was not permitted to see it.

Brennan clarified that people targeted in drone strikes are not being killed because of past transgressions. Instead, the drones target people who are future threats to the safety of Americans.

But when asked for evidence, or for explanations of the criteria used to select targets, Brennan remained silent. Senator Dianne Feinstein came to his aid, claiming that if the public only knew what she knows, they would be satisfied.

In 2011, Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, was killed by a targeted drone strike in Yemen, while plotting several attacks on American soil, according to the administration. While all accounts say al-Awlaki was a radical terrorist, there is widespread discomfort in the knowledge that the government can simply kill Americans it deems necessary to kill, without authorization from Congress, a judge or a jury.

Feinstein, as well as other Democratic senators, like Dick Durbin, have said they hope more information about the drone strikes will be made public. If the CIA isn't forthcoming, senators may try to force the organization to reveal more information, though it's unclear how successful that approach would be.

Either way, the debate is unlikely to influence Brennan's confirmation, which is all but guaranteed. Republicans approve of the work he's doing, and Democrats won't get in the way of an Obama nomination. They might cause a fuss, but when it comes time to vote, they'll fall in line.