White House: President Obama will nominate Hagel, Brennan

CREATED Jan. 7, 2013

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House confirms that President Barack Obama will be nominating former Republican senator Chuck Hagel and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan Monday to be key players in his second-term national security team.
 
Hagel is Obama's choice to be defense secretary, while Brennan is being nominated to lead the CIA. Along with John Kerry -- who is nominated to be secretary of state -- Brennan and Hagel would play major roles in shaping and implementing Obama's national security priorities for the next four years.
 
Obama is making it clear that he's ready for a tough confirmation fight in the Senate. Hagel has been accused of being anti-Israel and soft on Iran. And Brennan has faced questions about his ties to harsh interrogation techniques that were used during the administration of George W. Bush.