Atlantic Council

General James L. Jones (USMC, Ret.) delivered his first speech in the United States as National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama for the Atlantic Council.  Brent Scowcroft, former National Security Advisor and chairman of the Atlantic Council's International Advisory Board, introduced General Jones, and Frederick Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council, moderated the Q&A session.

In his first major address in the United States, entitled “U.S. National Security: The Obama Approach," General Jones discussed the Obama administration’s approach to global challenges and provided the administration’s perspective on how it intends to build on its early initiatives in the months to come.  President Obama has begun to define a new direction for U.S. foreign and national security policy.  With key early decisions and visits to Canada, Europe, Iraq and Latin America, the President and his administration have unveiled important policy changes on a number of issues ranging from responding to the global financial crisis to outlining a new strategy for combating extremism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

General Jones’ remarks were the first in a new National Security Series, a lecture series featuring leading policy makers and thinkers on security, defense and foreign policy issues hosted by the Atlantic Council’s International Security Program.  General Jones is the immediate former chairman of the Atlantic Council.

Full Transcript

Video:

C-SPAN

Podcast (MP3, 1:09:35):

Press Coverage:

• Obama has made US safer: top security advisor – AFP
• National security adviser: US safer under Obama – AP, Lolita C. Baldor
• US wants more backing for tough response to NKorea – AP, Lara Jakes and Lolita C. Baldor
• Obama aide: Too soon to say if Afghan plan working – Reuters, Caren Bohan
• Jones calls for patience with AFPAK – UPI, Daniel Graeber
• Says U.S. safer under Obama – Politico, Andy Barr
• National security adviser downplays N. Korea threat – The Hill, Roxana Tiron
• Spread of Weapons Technology Is ‘Imminent Threat,’ Jones Says – Bloomberg, Tony Capaccio
• White House Gets Serious About Rebuttal to Cheney – Congressional Quarterly Politics, Josh Rogin
• U.S., S. Korea Raise Military Alert Level – CBS News / AP
  
• National Security Adviser Helps Obama With 'Waves' of Global Threats – Voice of America News, Al Pessin
• U.S. Grows ‘Increasingly Safer’ Under New Leadership, Jones Says – American Forces Press Service, John Kruzel
• Scowcroft Using Jones To Influence Obama? – Political Bulletin, U.S. News & World Report
• Pakistan’s anti-Taliban effort ‘impressively successful’ - White House – Associated Press of Pakistan
• US Security Adviser Downplays N. Korean Threat – Dong-a Ilbo
• Afghanistan economy a long way from fixed – Air Force Times, William H. McMichael

Blogger Reactions:

• NSA James Jones: Obama's Decisions Make U.S. More Secure – ABC News, Luis Martinez (for Jake Tapper's Political Punch blog)
• Obama adviser: North Korea not an imminent threat to the US – Hot Air, Ed Morrissey
  
• Obama's NSA - NoKo's no 'imminent threat' -- then why raise alert level?  – American Thinker, Rick Moran
  
• Obama Administration: North Korea Not An Imminent Threat – A Blog For All
• Gen. Jones Comes Close to Having a "Biden Moment" – Ares Defense Technology Blog, Aviation Week, Paul McLeary

New Atlanticist Analysis:

• Jones: North Korea Nukes 'Not an Imminent Threat' – James Joyner
• National Security Advisor Jones: USA Safer Under Obama – James Joyner
• Jones a Different Kind of National Security Advisor – James Joyner

Related Events:

• General James Jones Speaks at Atlantic Council Awards Dinner (Video)
• 2009 Leadership Awards: Bush, Kohl, Petraeus, Palmisano and Hampson
• 2007 Leadership Awards: Greenspan, Schwarzman, and Jones

Related Press Release:

• Atlantic Council Chairman General James L. Jones Named National Security Advisor

 The National Security Series is generously sponsored by BAE Systems.