Comment on Pompeo becomes U.S. secretary of state as Iran, N. Korea issues await

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state on Thursday, putting the former CIA director in a pivotal role to handle U.S. foreign policy challenges such as North Korea and Iran.Pompeo, a former Army officer who was a Republican congressman, is regarded as a Trump loyalist with hawkish world views.Pompeo, who takes over the job vacated by Rex Tillerson, is already deeply involved in diplomacy.