New US envoy to be deployed to Kabul

Washington: The US Senate has confirmed career diplomat James Cunningham as ambassador to Afghanistan, replacing Ryan Crocker, who stepped down due to health reasons. The Senate confirmation, among the long list of ambassadors, came as the Congress began a five-week summer break. [caption id=“attachment_403339” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A family of potters in Kabul, which will get a new US envoy. Reuters.[/caption] Cunningham has been serving as deputy ambassador at the US embassy in Kabul since June 2011. Earlier, he was the US ambassador to Israel. He also held senior US posts in Hong Kong, Nato and the United Nations. However, the list did not include Richard Olson, the Ambassador-designate for Pakistan. The confirmation hearing for the two envoys were held early this week. PTI