The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to confirm a retired four-star general, John Abizaid, as the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, filling an important diplomatic post that has been vacant for more than two years.
“Moving swiftly and efficiently on nominations like this, of which there are many others, is of great importance to our diplomatic stature across the globe,” said Sen. Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a statement after the 92-7 vote.
“We should continue in this way with all State Department nominees moving forward,” said Risch, R-Idaho. Abizaid received strong support from lawmakers in both parties, including critics of the administrations Saudi policy.
U.S. Senate confirms retired general John Abizaid as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a post that's been vacant since January 2017:https://t.co/5lcTcP0yQs
— Vivian Nereim (@viviannereim) April 10, 2019
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Abizaid was “a solid choice.” Murphy said that “while I strongly disagree with this administrations weak, backward policy toward Saudi Arabia, Im glad that we finally have an ambassador on the ground there.”
Abizaid was the longest-Read More – Source
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