WASHINGTON, Nov 16: US President George Bush on Tuesday nominated national security adviser Condoleezza Rice to replace departing Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Sources in the State Department told Dawn they expected the departure of a large number of moderates from their departments who, like Mr Powell, sometimes clashed with more hawkish administration officials such as Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Mr Powell's deputy Richard Armitage has already resigned. His resignation, announced earlier Tuesday, came a day after Mr Powell confirmed he was stepping down. The two men are close friends and hold identical views on foreign policies that do not always conform to the views of Mr Bush.

With moderates like Mr Powell and Mr Armitage leaving and President Bush's decision to elevate Ms Rice, a close confidante who often sided with the administration's hawks, US diplomacy may become more hard-edged, political analysts say. Ms Rice, 50, has been President Bush's national security adviser for four years and spends more time with the president than any other official except White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

But while she's known around the globe, her image on the world stage does not rival Mr Powell's. The retired four-star general has higher popularity ratings than the president.

She was widely considered Mr Bush's first choice for the top diplomat's job, despite reports that she intended to return to California or was hoping to replace Mr Rumsfeld should he wish to step down.

The Senate must confirm the president's cabinet choices. Senator Richard Lugar, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is trying to arrange a confirmation hearing in early December, an aide to Mr Lugar said on Tuesday.

Mr Bush said Stephen Hadley, his deputy national security adviser, would replace Ms Rice as national security adviser.

Mr Hadley served as senior foreign and defence policy adviser to Mr Bush when he first ran for president.

A White House official said Mr Powell indicated to President Bush months before Nov 2 that he planned to leave soon after the election. But later his close aides said Mr Powell had second thoughts and prepared a list of conditions under which he would be willing to stay. These included greater engagement with Iran and a harder line with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Mr Powell met Mr Bush at the White House on Friday and submitted his letter of resignation. White House officials later said the president did not ask Mr Powell to stay.