Panetta confirmed as CIA director

Veteran Democratic politician Leon Panetta was confirmed as the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency by the US Senate.

Veteran Democratic politician Leon Panetta was confirmed as the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency by the US Senate.

Panetta, a White House chief of staff under former president Bill Clinton, had been widely expected to secure Senate support despite criticism in some quarters over his lack of direct experience in the intelligence world.

The Senate approved President Barack Obama's pick in a voice vote. Panetta, 70, takes up the reigns from Michael Hayden as the agency's credibility is still under question for failures to linked to the US-led war in Iraq and controversial interrogation tactics in the 'War on Terror.'

In earlier Senate hearings Panetta had promised to end the use of waterboarding and transferring detainees to countries where they may face torture or abuse.

But he also indicated he did not favor seeking prosecutions against CIA employees who carried out harsh interrogations during President George W Bush's administration.

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