The role of a National Security Advisor is of paramount importance, and he is expected to perform his duties with a lot of inquisitiveness and perfection. There is no particular tenure for a national security advisor. The discretion of appointing someone as an advisor vests with the president and the other council members present there. So here are some of the qualities that are very much important for a National Security Advisor.

It is always between the president and the advisor:

The President and the advisor share a very close relationship, and they are expected to function in harmony. There cannot be an intermediary between the President and the advisor. If there are a lot of people to carry information between the president and the advisor, then there will be filtration of information that might go against the welfare the nation. So the president and the advisor must have a good rapport.

Not in favor of a party or a candidate:

The person who has taken the role of the advisor is expected to paint a true and fair picture of the affairs of the state. Usually, people who have the chances of becoming the next advisor are closely involved in the operations of the government. That being the case, during election times, a good advisor is expected to stay neutral instead of voicing his opinion in favor of a particular party at least when he is not in the shoes of a common civilian. His favoritism might at times affect the welfare of the country.

Experience and position:

A person who is potentially going to take the place of the advisor of the National Security Council has to be well educated and must be well aware of the affairs of the state. In most cases, a person who was already a part of any department that is relevant to foreign policies or national security are the ones who are chosen as the potential candidates who can be chosen as the next advisor. So the experience and the present position of the candidate are very much important.

Protest if need be:

Just because an advisor has to have a good rapport with the President he need not have to dance according to the tunes of the President. His primary concern has to be the safety and the welfare of the nation and thereby he can place his opinions strongly and can protest against the president and the other members of the council if need be. If he feels that the President’s decisions might not fit the moment, he can place his views bluntly and curtly. Inhibition is not a quality of an advisor.

Adequate Knowledge:

An advisor has to possess good knowledge with regard to the foreign policies that are prevailing among different nations. This will help him make right decisions with regard to the policy affairs of his nation. There are also talks regarding the Eisenhower Test. The candidates who are looking forward to be a part of the National Security Council are expected to take the Eisenhower Test to qualify themselves as potential candidates. This again is going to set a new benchmark.