White House names three to NSC posts

WASHINGTON, March 21 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush's effort to round out his national security team neared completion Monday with the appointment of three to the NSC staff.

John Rood, formerly the deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces policy, has been named to the position of special assistant to the president and senior director for counterproliferation strategy, said Stephen J. Hadley, the president's assistant for national security affairs.

Hadley also said that Michael Allen, who had been in charge of managing congressional relations for the White House Homeland Security Council, had been picked to be special assistant to the president and the NSC's senior director for legislative affairs.

Also announced was the appointment of Dan Levin, who had been acting assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Justice department, as senior associate counsel to the president and National Security Council legal adviser.

The appointments do not require Senate confirmation.