Nicholas Alexander
General Nicholas Alexander is a fictional character in the NBC television series The West Wing. He was played by American actor Terry O'Quinn. General Alexander did not appear frequently on the show due to O'Quinn's role on Lost.
Alexander succeeded Admiral Fitzwallace as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after his retirement, which occurred early in Season 5 of the show. He had been the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ever since, and dealt with many controversies including Secretary of Defense Miles Hutchinson screening generals for their political views, a brief outbreak of political dissent in Saudi Arabia, and Israel testing a submarine-launched nuclear missile. Probably his most significant challenge was the deployment of American troops to Israel to provide stability for an attempted Israeli/Palestinian settlement. He did not appear on the show again after the initial agreement was reached. In his absence, and that of former White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, Secretary Hutchinson and particularly Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper became more influential voices in the White House Situation Room.
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