Obama nominates IU alumnus as Saudi Arabia ambassador

On June 4, President Obama announced his ambassador nominations. Among the nominations was former Brig. Gen. James B. Smith, an IU alumnus, as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

“Obviously the United States and Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship. We have a strategic relationship,” Obama said in a June 3 speech during his first visit to Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of Saudi Arabia as a U.S. ally.

Smith, a retired Air Force general, earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the U.S. Air Force Academy before coming to IU to finish a master’s degree in history in 1975. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College, the Air Command and Staff College and the National War College, according to an IU press release.

During a long career in the U.S. Air Force, Smith served in Desert Storm and commanded the 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron and 325th Operations Group. He also served as deputy commander at the Joint Warfighting Center of the U.S. Joint Forces in Suffolk, Va., and commanded the 18th Wing at Kadena U.S. Air Force Base in Japan, according to a press release.

After working as director of Navy C2 programs for Lockheed Martin Mission Systems, he retired from the U.S. Air Force in October 2002 and went on to work for Raytheon Company as a major U.S. defense contractor as an international business development executive.

In March 2008, Smith said he and nine other officers from all branches of the military publicly endorsed then-Senator Obama for president.

“I spent a career involved in coalition warfare, and I am keenly aware of the importance of working with allies,” Smith said in his endorsement speech. “Senator Obama brings a powerful approach to dealing with national security challenges by truly leveraging multinational relationships. He brings a new face of America to the rest of the world.”

Some of Obama’s other ambassador nominees included former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Carlos Pascual, to Mexico and former finance chairman for Obama’s campaign, David Jacobson, to Canada. Other nominees announced are Donald Gips to South Africa, Patricia N. Moller to Guinea, Nicole A. Avant to the Bahamas, Kenneth H. Merten to Haiti and Anne E. Derse to Lithuania.

“I am grateful that these individuals will help represent our nation abroad during this important time for our country and the world,” Obama said. “They bring a depth of experience, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”