Obama’s national security adviser bows out

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama’s national security advisor James Jones is retiring and will be replaced by hard-charging deputy Tom Donilon, in a new shake-up of key White House staff portfolios.

The decision by Jones, which had been expected, comes at a time of rising US challenges abroad, including heightened terror threats and Iran’s nuclear defiance, and was revealed just a month before Obama’s major tour of Asia.

Jones will become the first high-profile member of Obama’s foreign and national security brain trust to leave, following the departures of several top-level economic advisers.

Two senior officials revealed the decision by Jones, on condition of anonymity, and added that Donilon, a veteran foreign policy aide for top Democratic candidates and leaders, would take the top job.

Donilon is seen as close to Vice President Joe Biden, a noted sceptic of military arguments for a full-scale counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan, which led up to Obama’s decision last year to mount a troop surge strategy.

Jones played a major role in the Afghan strategy review run by Obama into Afghanistan and Pakistan policy last year and has racked up thousands of miles pushing US diplomacy abroad.

The latest staff announcement came just a week after White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel stepped down to run for Chicago mayor.