Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan cleared in Pentagon inquiry

[No Elephants]

Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan cleared in Pentagon inquiry



By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON | Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:26pm EST

(Reuters) - General John Allen, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was cleared by Pentagon investigators of allegations of professional misconduct over email exchanges with a Florida socialite, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

The decision by the Defense Department's Inspector General helps lift a cloud that has hung over Allen, who is married and has two daughters, ever since he became indirectly ensnared in the scandal that forced David Petraeus to resign as CIA director in November.

It could also resurrect the four-star general's military career - although a U.S. official told Reuters that, as of late Tuesday, no decision had been made on whether to proceed with Allen's nomination to become the top U.S. military commander in Europe.

President Barack Obama put that nomination on hold when the investigation was announced in November, even as he expressed confidence in Allen's ability to serve out the final months of his command in Afghanistan.

<snip>

The Pentagon inquiry centered on emails between Allen and Jill Kelley, a Tampa, Florida, resident who knew Allen when he served as the No. 2 officer at the U.S. military's Tampa-based Central Command from July 2008 to June 2011.

<snip>

But questions about the nature of the Kelley-Allen emails prompted Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to order a Pentagon investigation, a move that triggered a storm of speculation about their relationship.

<snip>

The White House is considering options for keeping between 3,000 and 9,000 troops in Afghanistan, officials have said - a lower range than Allen had initially recommended.

<snip>

If his nomination does proceed, Allen could still potentially face questions about the email exchanges at a Senate confirmation hearing for the job as head of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

(Editing by Sandra Maler, Stacey Joyce and Lisa Shumaker)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/23/us-usa-generals-allen-idUSBRE90L14K20130123

Oooh, look, the Pentagon cleared one of its top generals.

Seems almost as though the investigation was started for the purpose of lifting the cloud on his reputation, doesn't it?

The cloud would have been lifted more effectively in my mind if an independent investigator had been involved.

Then again, when I'm not being incredibly naive, I'm being totally cynical. No halfway measures for me!

[Enthusiast]

1. Make the e-mails public.

And pictures. You know, naked pictures of the young lady she sent to the general. Get everything out there and let the American people decide. Isn't that what Republicans said in regard to Monica Lewinski?