US Senate confirms new military commander in Afghanistan

US senators have approved the appointment of a new commander for US efforts in Afghanistan. Army Gen. Austin Scott Miller, the 17th commander to oversee the American and NATO mission in Afghanistan, will succeed Army Gen. John Nicholson in the role. He received his fourth star as part of the confirmation process, the Military Times reported on Friday. Miller was previously the head of Joint Special Operations Command and served as the commander of the special operations in Afghanistan from June 2013 to June 2014. His combat experience includes missions in Somalia, Bosnia, and Iraq. Miller told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month that he saw progress in the ongoing fight in Afghanistan. However, the commander said that he could not guarantee “a timeline or an end date” for US military efforts in the country.