WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- James L. Jones, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's pick for national security advisor, is a career soldier, who also earned a reputation as a skillful mediator.

    The selection of Jones will elevate another foreign policy moderate to a team that will include Robert Gates as defense secretary and Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state.

    By bringing a military man to the White House, Obama may be trying to cement an early bond with military leaders who regard him with some uneasiness, particularly over his call for rapid troop reductions in Iraq.

    Jones will also be expected to mediate between rivals, particularly in dealing with Gates, who has his own power base at the Pentagon, and with Clinton, who has told friends that she does not expect the national security adviser to stand between her and the president.

    At the time of that presidential debate in October, the former leader of U.S. Marine Corp. had spoken only twice to Obama.

    By contrast, he had worked since 1979 with John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, and regarded him as a friend.

    But Jones has long been respected and admired by both Republicans and Democrats. He is fluent in French, which he once spoke better than he spoke English after living in Paris from age 2 to 17.

    He played basketball at Georgetown University, served in Vietnam and has received all manner of decorations as a marine, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V."

    At 64, Jones bicycles from home to work twice each week.

    Friends say he is a fan of Toby Keith, the country-music singer and songwriter.

    But what is unclear, experts said, is how quickly Jones is able to develop a close relationship with Obama and how successfully he, Clinton and Gates can define their roles on issues like Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia and terrorism.