A confirmation hearing for CIA veteran John Brennan, who could next lead the spy agency as director, got off to a rocky start, as protesters forced lawmakers to halt the hearing.

Several protesters were hauled out after they began to one-by-one interrupt Brennan when he began speaking. This left Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein no other option but to clear the chamber, forcing the hearing into a temporary recess. The protesters were speaking out against the civilian deaths from drone strikes in countries such as Pakistan and Yemen.

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