“I am very pleased that President Obama has appointed former Senator George Mitchell to be special envoy to the Middle East and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke to be special adviser to Pakistan and Afghanistan. These two statesmen have a wealth of experience with conflict resolution, and have an outstanding grasp of the complexities associated with the situations they will address. For many years I have been calling for a special envoy to the Middle East and a more comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.  Using diplomacy to address the ongoing instability in these areas is central to our efforts to strengthen our national security. I am confident that this administration will provide the envoys with the necessary tools to help bring an end to instability and create a lasting peace – for the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories, and of Afghanistan and the surrounding region.”