Miller on Brennan: An "architect of the drone process"

(CBS News) On Monday, President Obama made two critical nominations in the security and defense communities, nominating John Brennan for CIA director and former Sen. Chuck Hagel for defense secretary. In his official announcement of the nominations, Mr. Obama lauded John Brennan for helping him create the strategy that has devastated the leadership of al Qaeda.

CBS Senior Correspondent and former deputy director of national intelligence, John Miller, said Brennan has the ability to "hit the ground running" as CIA director. "He's been on the planes, met all the world leaders, been in the CIA, understands counterterrorism first, understands espionage and the rest of it," Miller explained. "That makes him a very rare candidate."

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Miller added that as "one of the architects of the drone process," Brennan helped to build the rules and processes around the use of drones to target terrorist leaders.

Furthermore, according to Miller, after serving in the CIA, the National Counterterrorism Center, and as the White House counterterrorism advisor, Brennan understands that "the shape and size of war has changed" to encompass the use of intelligence, "the careful deployment of special force and other tools ... like drones."

And while Hagel and Brennan could both face contemptuous confirmation hearings in the Senate, Miller said the process might not be "pretty," but that the White House seems confident they will be able to "get them through."