Top Links: Global warming? No, just the sparks likely to fly at the Brennan hearing over drones, torture, rendition

Top story: President Obama’s nominee for CIA director, John Brennan, gets the full Hagel-Hillary treatment Thursday, this time in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Expect questions about killing U.S. citizens abroad, rendition, torture, and maybe even Benghazi.

• You can read Brennan’s answers to his pre-hearing questionnaire here: (Senate Intelligence Committee)

• In it, “Brennan says civilian deaths from drone strikes are ‘exceedingly rare, and much, much rarer than many allege.’ (last answer)” (Olivier Knox)

• Which contradicts some people’s very personal experiences with drones: “After the drone hit, everyone was so frightened it would come back. Children especially were affected….” (Arif Rafiq)

• And in advance of today’s hearing, the White House finally released its legal justification for when it is legal to kill U.S. citizens abroad to Committee members. (The New York Times)

• The harshest critique Brennan receives may come from a Democrat. (First Read)

• Lost? Let PBS guide you through a quick history of assassination, rendition, and counterterrorism policy. (PBS Newshour)

• “Why are al-Qaeda members still U.S. citizens anyway?” (Passport)

Sequester, anyone?

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• “Professional investors are growing convinced the sequester cuts will in fact hit on March 1 and the stock market will take a serious hit as a result.” (Morning Money)

• Yet, The New York Times is reporting Democrats believe they’re close to a deal with Republicans. (The New York Times)

• Roberta Costa and Katrina Trinko’s piece in National Review doesn’t change the broad outlines of what we know about this story, but the details he provides—of congressmen hearing it from back home and not really wanting these cuts to happen—are excellent. (National Review)

• So far there are three plans to stave off the sequester cuts—and none command a majority. (Wonkblog)

Rove’s Woes

• Karl Rove’s ill-fated American Crossroads campaign “tells donors it’s ‘completing a report’ on ‘factors that contributed to deeply disappointing results’.” (Ken Vogel)