National Security Advisor

Luke Brechtelsbauer April 30, 2009 4th Hour Government

Paper 2 National Security Advisor

The post of National Security Advisor was created in 1953 for the Eisenhower administration. In the post World War II world, it was evident how much danger there is in the world. As the Cold War heated up, it became evident the United States Government that intelligence from across the board needed to be analyzed, condensed, and presented to the president. In order to fill this void in the White House the post of Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs was created. Throughout the following six decades, these men and woman have been vital to the safety of America. Theirs is the huge responsibility of keeping the Commander-in-Chief informed of global attitudes and events and how they could potentially jeopardize the security of the nation. The current NSA is retired United States Marine Corps four-star General James L. Jones. His long and illustrious career has made him more than a competent candidate for the position. In his more than forty years of service he has amassed a resume including positions such as chairman of the Congressional Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, and Commandant of the Marine Corps. It is evident that he has spent his life involved with maintaining the nation’s security. Some of General Jones’ duties as National Security Advisor to Barack Obama are to produce research, briefings, and intelligence to review and present to the National Security Council and the President of the United States.

In times of crisis, the National Security Advisor operates from the White House Situation Room, updating the President on the latest events of a crisis. Jones is the most recent in a long line of very famous names which includes Robert Cutler, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, and the only female ever confirmed as National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice. Following in these great footsteps, who knows what could be next for General Jones? Many of his predecessors have gone on to jobs like Secretary of State, Joint Chief of Staff, and other prominent positions in American government. I think that the NSA, Gen. James L. Jones is well equipped for his demanding post. I believe he has had the training and life experiences to be effective in this new position. I’m sure that President Obama thoroughly looked for the best man or woman to assume the integral post in the administration. However, only time can tell if Jones is truly up to the test.

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