'Politics must stop where intelligence work begins' - CIA nominee Burns

William Burns is a former career diplomat who told the Senate Intelligence committee that his years with the State Department gave him first-hand experience working with American spies and insight into intelligence-gathering.

"I learned that intelligence professionals have to tell policy-makers what they need to hear, even if they don't want to hear it. And I learned that politics must stop where intelligence work begins," he said.

Burns, 64, is expected to easily win confirmation to be director of the CIA. Burns has already been confirmed by the Senate five times for his stints as ambassador to Jordan and Russia and three senior positions at the State Department.