Bush appoints Gulf advisor

WASHINGTON — U.S. President George Bush has appointed a leading strategist as his adviser on Gulf issues.

Zalmay Khalilzad has been named special assistant to the president and senior director for Gulf. The appointment was announced by National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Khalilzad is regarded as one of the top strategists in the United States and an expert on Middle East and defense issues. He was director of the Rand Corporation's strategy, doctrine and force structure program conducted for the U.S. Air Force. He also founded Rand's Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

No stranger to government, Khalilzad headed the Bush transition team for the Defense Department and was an adviser to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

During the Reagan administration, Khalilzad served as adviser on the Iran-Iraq war.