Washington: US President Barack Obama has nominated career diplomat James Jeffrey to replace Christopher Hill as his ambassador to Iraq at a critical juncture in the seven-year war, the White House said.

Jeffrey serves as the current US ambassador to Turkey, a NATO ally that has seen its usually warm ties with Washington frayed over a deadly Israeli raid on an aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip, its criticism of Israel and its opposition to US-backed sanctions on Iran.
"I am grateful that these experienced men and women have agreed to serve in my administration as we work to meet our nation's most pressing challenges," Obama yesterday said in a statement announcing several nominations.
"I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years."
Before being appointed to his post in Ankara, Jeffrey served as deputy national security advisor and assistant to the President at the White House under George W Bush's administration, according to his official bio.

His resume also includes several previous stints in Baghdad and across the Middle East, unlike Hill, best known for his high-profile post as the Bush administration's point man on North Korea's nuclear program

James Franklin Jeffrey is an American diplomat and the current United States Ambassador to Turkey. He was serving as the Deputy National Security Advisor in the administration of George W. Bush before being appointed to Turkey. He joined the Foreign Service in 1977. His most recent assignments were as Deputy Chief of Mission to Ankara, 1999–2002, and to Kuwait, 1996-1999. He also has served in Tunis, Sofia, Munich, Adana, and on a first assignment to Ankara in 1985-1987. In the Department, Mr. Jeffrey has served as Senior Greek Desk Officer, as Officer in Charge of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, as Deputy Office Director in the Office of Near Eastern Peace Process and Regional Affairs, and as Deputy Presidential Special Advisor for Bosnia Implementation. He speaks German, French, and Turkish.

Mr. Jeffrey received a BA in History from Northeastern University in 1969, and an MS in Business Administration from Boston University Graduate School of Management in 1977. He also holds a diploma in the French language from the University of Paris. From 1969-1976 Mr. Jeffrey served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, with assignments in Germany and Vietnam. He was born in Massachusetts, and his current state of residence is Virginia.

Ambassador Jeffrey has held a variety of assignments related to Europe and the Middle East during his 30-year career with the U.S. Department of State. His past assignments have included Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State for Iraq, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador to Albania, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Turkey and Kuwait, U.S. Deputy Special Representative for Bosnia Implementation, Senior Greek Desk Officer, Officer in Charge of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and as Deputy Office Director in the Office of Near Eastern Peace Process and Regional Affairs. Earlier overseas assignments included postings at the U.S. Consulate General in Munich, Germany; U.S. Embassies in Turkey, Bulgaria, and Tunisia; and the U.S. Consulate in Adana, Turkey.