UK Edition
Who is Lt General H. R. McMaster? Donald Trump's new national security adviser is a 'warrior-thinker' known for challenging convention
Donald Trump's new national security adviser is a "warrior-thinker" who forged his reputation on the battlefields of Iraq and through a willingness to rebel against the status quo.
Herbert Raymond "H. R." McMaster is legendary in military circles for adopting pioneering techniques on the battle field and criticising a failing policy, even if it means challenging superiors.
A graduate of West Point military academy, Lt General McMaster commanded troops during the first Gulf War, receiving the Silver Star for fighting in one of the biggest tank battles since World War II.
During the Battle of 73 Easting, he and his men were significantly outnumbered. But his and the other eight tanks in Eagle Troop destroyed over 80 Iraqi Republican Guard tanks and other vehicles, reportedly without loss. (This was largely due to the state-of-the-art technology of their Abrams tanks).
Lt General McMaster redeployed to Iraq following the 2003 invasion, and became infamous among troops for his innovative techniques for battled the insurgency.
In Tal Afar especially he sought to get to know the local population, and gain the trust of some, with a view to weeding militants and winning over hearts and minds.
His approach became a key part of the military's counterinsurgency doctrine under General David Petraeus. It formed the backbone of the 2007 "surge" of additional American forces to tamp down on increasing violence. He also deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 and oversaw military planning and anti-corruption efforts.
He was named in Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential people in 2014, which was accompanied by an article that declared him the army's "warrior thinker". David Barno, the author of the article went on to call him "the rarest of soldiers - one who repeatedly bucked the system and survived to join its senior ranks."
"I watched senior Army generals argue over ways to end his career," he added. "But he dodged those bullets."
The first active duty officer to hold the post since Colin Powell under former President Ronald Reagan, he is not afraid to challenge authority.
As a young major he published Dereliction of Duty, a book that was openly critical of what he saw to be a failed military leadership during the Vietnam War.
He is currently the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, where his job has been to figure out what the US army should look like in 2025 and beyond.
His views would seem at odds with Mr Trump on Russia. The president has said been effusive in his praise of Russia; Lt General McMaster has used his current role to place a particular emphasis on preparing to counter the kind of tactics and weapons that Russia, which he considers a rising threat to global stability, has used in Ukraine.
In another possible area of conflict with the president, Lt General McMaster has also sought to carefully distinguish between Islamic extremist terror groups and the wider Muslim faith.
For example, in a recent speech at Virginia Military Institute, cited by Politico, he said, “We will defeat today's enemies, including terrorist organizations, like [the Islamic State], who cynically use a perverted interpretation of religion to incite hatred and justify horrific cruelty against innocents.”