From Alister Bull, Reuters:  President Barack Obama on Tuesday chose two veteran U.S. diplomats to be ambassadors to Afghanistan and Pakistan, making the nominations at a delicate time for Washington’s relations with both countries.

Obama picked James Cunningham, the No. 2 at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, to be the new ambassador to Afghanistan and Richard Olson as ambassador to Pakistan, the White House said. . . .

Before Cunningham’s post in Kabul, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Israel from 2008 to 2011. From 2005 to 2008, he was U.S. consul general in Hong Kong, and was posted in earlier assignments to the United Nations, Rome and NATO.

Olson served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 2008 to 2011 and at the U.S. mission to NATO in Brussels, among other assignments.  (photo: Getty)

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