Nominee for Deputy National Security Advisor Appears Before Senate Armed Services Committee

President Bush has nominated an Army Lieutenant General for a special new position in the White House, called Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan. Lieutenant General Douglas Lute spoke to the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 7, according to an article on the State Department website.

Lute was asked about Iraqi participation in their national security over the course of the past year, and he responded that it has been "uneven so far." He said that every chance must be given to the Iraqis to assume ultimate responsibility for national security, as an Iraqi solution "will be the enduring one."

Lute believes that the United States military must coordinate not only with the Iraqi military, which it is slowly training and supporting, but also with economic and social agencies and with other countries to create an "enduring" solution to the problems that Iraq faces. He says that the current situation is unsatisfying, and that American troop pull-out has been slowed by recent violence, but that the Iraqis still must be given an opportunity to govern themselves.

As for Afghanistan, Lute said the progress there has been slow but steady. He said better progress would be made by "better integrating the NATO mission, the U.S. missions, and the efforts of the international community."

Lute was asked if his position would be redundant, or would usurp the authority of current National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley. Hadley reports to the President himself, as Lute would do if approved. Lute responded that his position would not usurp authority because he would be responsible for advising the President only with regard to Iraq and Afghanistan, while Mr. Hadley would be concerned with affairs the world over, from China to Cuba.