The US Senate late Thursday confirmed career diplomat James Cunningham as President Barack Obama’s new ambassador to Afghanistan

The US Senate late Thursday confirmed career diplomat James Cunningham as President Barack Obama's new ambassador to Afghanistan.
  
Cunningham has been serving as deputy to Ryan Crocker, the US envoy in Kabul who is leaving his post after a ‘distinguished’ career in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon, among other postings.
  
The US embassy in Kabul constitutes more than 1,100 US staff, and the envoy will oversee the US transition process as NATO countries, led by the United States, withdraw the remaining 130,000 occupation troops after more than 10 years of war.
 
All foreign combat forces are due to have left by the end of 2014.