Sources: Obama to keep Gates at Pentagon

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama has decided to keep Robert Gates as U.S. defense secretary, sources close to the transition team said.

The New York Times reported Tuesday the Obama team is close to reaching an agreement with Gates for him to remain as defense secretary for perhaps a year. The newspaper reported that the decision is expected to be announced next week.

Observers said keeping Gates on will give the Obama administration a defense chief with bipartisan support. Gates would not have to be renominated or reconfirmed by the Senate.

On Tuesday, Obama lost a top candidate for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In a letter to the president-elect, CIA veteran John O. Brennan withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday amid concerns that he was linked to controversial intelligence programs authorized by the Bush administration.

He said he did not want these concerns to be a "distraction" for the incoming administration, the newspaper said.