President Barack Obama on Wednesday bypassed Congress to name the first US ambassador to Syria in nearly six years, an appointment opposed by his Republican opponents.
Obama took the controversial step of ordering the appointment of Ambassador Robert Ford while Congress is out of session during the holiday season. He also forced through appointments of ambassadors to Turkey, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic.
Obama had first named Ford in February, hoping to improve diplomatic channels with Syria in a bid to broker peace in the Middle East. Republicans opposed the appointment, saying it rewarded a country accused of backing extremists.