Why The Early Departure Of U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones

Woodward's Book Hastend Jones' Exit From Obama Circle -- McClatchy News

WASHINGTON — Retired Marine Gen. James Jones resigned Friday as the White House National Security Adviser and was replaced by his deputy, Thomas Donilon.

Like other top changes in the White House, President Barack Obama turned to a familiar face already on his team, and the swap will have little impact on policy. However, it could strain relations between the White House and the military.

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More News On The Resignation Of James Jones

Henry in the House: Woodward book sealed Gen. Jones' fate -- CNN
Jones never made it to the inner circle -- Politico
Jones an awkward fit in Obama circle -- Washington Post
Security job goes to insider -- Washington Post
James Jones to step down as national security adviser -- Washington Post
Obama's top security adviser steps down -- Washington Times
Factbox: White House aide Donilon is close Obama confidant -- Reuters
10 reasons to be worried as Tom Donilon, Afghan war sceptic & desk-bound foe of US military, gets top foreign policy job -- Toby Harnden, The Telegraph
Scenarios: Obama shuffles staff, what is coming next? -- Reuters

"Hope Is Not A Strategy" According To Outgoing National Security Advisor James Jones (An Interview)

Outgoing Security Advisor Jones Voices Concern on Pakistan -- Der Spiegel

US President Barack Obama is losing yet another advisor: National Security Advisor James Jones is resigning. Shortly before the announcement, SPIEGEL ONLINE spoke to Jones about the war on terror and the delicate state of the US relationship with Pakistan.

For 40 years, James L. Jones served in the military before he hung up his uniform and became national security advisor in Washington. But in the future, United States President Barack Obama will have to do without his expert advice -- Jones plans to step down, a high-ranking colleague in the US government said on Friday.

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My Comment: Former National Security Advisor Jones makes some reasonable pointers in this interview .... but he is now gone, and will be forgotten by next week.

BREAKING: Major Shake-Up In President Obama's National Security Team

US National Security Adviser, James Jones (Photo from Top News)

James Jones To Step Down As National Security Advisor -- L.A. Times

The retired Marine general will be replaced by his deputy, Tom Donilon, an administration official says. The move comes amid a larger turnover in the Obama White House.

Reporting from Washington — President Obama will announce Friday that retired Gen. James L. Jones is resigning as national security advisor, to be replaced by deputy national security advisor Tom Donilon, an administration official confirmed.

Jones' departure comes amid a larger turnover of staffers in the Obama White House this fall. Just a week ago, Obama announced in the East Room that Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was leaving.

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More News On The Resignation Of James Jones, President Obama's National Security Advisor

Donilon to Replace Jones as National Security Adviser -- New York Times
National security adviser resigning -- Yahoo News/AP
New Obama security adviser clashed with military -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Top Obama national security aide resigns -- Yahoo News/AFP
Jones to step down as national security adviser -- Washington Post
National Security Adviser Jones to Resign -- Wall Street Journal
Jones Stepping Down as Obama's National Security Adviser -- FOX News
Obama gets new national security adviser -- Jones out, Donilon in -- USA Today
National Security Adviser To Obama Steps Down -- NPR (Audio)
NSC shuffle: Donilon to succeed Jones -- Politico
Exit Jim Jones -- Time Magazine
Gates on Donilon: A 'Disaster' as National Security Advisor -- The Atlantic
Tom Donilon Would Be A 'Disaster' As National Security Adviser, Robert Gates Reportedly Said -- Huffington Post
The only thing surprising about Jim Jones’s departure is he survived this long -- Peter Feaver, Shadow Government/Foreign Policy

National Security Adviser Jones Apologizes For Joke About Jewish Merchant

Barack Obama Aide 'Sorry' For Taliban Jewish Merchant Joke -- The Telegraph

One of President Barack Obama's closest aides was forced to apologise for telling a joke about a Taliban militant who was tricked by a Jewish merchant.

The remarks by Gen James Jones, the US National Security Adviser, at a pro-Israel think tank last week were greeted with laughter and applause at the time, but were soon criticised by the Anti-Defamation League as "inappropriate".

"It's stereotypical. Some people believe they need to start a speech with a joke. This was about the worst kind of joke the head of the National Security Council could have told," said Abraham Foxman, ADL chairman, told ABC.

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My Comment: I know it is a stupid joke .... and yes .... I know that he has apologized .... hence the case is closed. But if Condoleeza Rice had said such a thing when she was President Bush's National Security Adviser, everyone in the Democrat Party, the media, and every left wing blogger that I know would be demanding her resignation 24/7 .... and all of the apologies in the world would not have made a difference.

But in this case .... this story is being explained away as "a row that is being exploited by Right-wing pro-Israel groups hostile to Gen Jones, who is seen as a main instigator of Washington's pressure on Mr Netanyahu".

Is a double standard at play here .... you betcha.

Update: I do know that Condoleeza Rice is incapable of saying such a "bizarre" joke. She was (and is) a professional who always took her role as a senior official in the U.S. Government seriously .... including being cautious and careful with each and everyone of her public statements.

General McChrystal's Recommendations On Afghanistan Are Just An Opinion: National Security Adviser Jones

Photo: National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones, on "Face the Nation," Oct. 4, 2009. (CBS)

Security Adviser Calls Troop Increase McChrystal’s Opinion -- New York Times

President Obama’s national security adviser, Gen. James L. Jones, said on Sunday that a recommendation to send another 40,000 American troops to Afghanistan was just one part of a review of overall strategy that included such factors as a larger role for the Pakistani military and the integrity of the recent Afghan elections.

“It would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of other elements of the strategy,” General Jones said in an appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” General Jones offered no endorsement of a recommendation by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American commander in Afghanistan, to add another 40,000 troops on top of the 68,000 Americans already deployed there. At one point he described Gen. McChrystal’s recommendation as “his opinion” of “what he thinks his role within that strategy is.” The comments by General Jones seemed to expose the debate within the Obama administration on committing more troops.

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More News From The U.S. National Security Adviser Gen. James L. Jones

Taliban return to power unlikely - White House aide -- Reuters
Top US adviser doesn't see Taliban returning to power -- AFP
Jones Sidesteps McChrystal Dilemma -- Wall Street Journal
National Security Jones -- CBS Face The Nation
National Security Adviser: Afghanistan Not In 'Imminent Danger Of Falling' -- TPM
Obama adviser: Afghanistan gov't must do better -- AP
Jones pushes back at McChrystal -- Politico

My Comment: Wow .... I get a lot of information on the war in Afghanistan from multiple sources .... National Security Advisor Gen. Jones has just contradicted everyone that I know.

Now .... he must have intelligence information that I do not have .... or .... (I will let you fill in the blank).