Petraeus, Jill Kelley scandal now tied to General John Allen, US Commander in Afghanistan
An FBI investigation that led to the resignation of Gen David Petraeus also turned up evidence that Gen John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, was exchanging potentially inappropriate emails with a Florida woman involved in the scandal, Pentagonofficials said.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement early Tuesday that he had ordered an investigation of Allen after the FBI informed the Pentagon it had uncovered thousands of pages of emails between Allen and Jill Kelley, a 37-year old who has been described as an unpaid social liaison at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., which is headquarters to the U.S. Central Command.
The FBI’s decision to refer the matter to the Pentagon, along with Panetta’s decision to allow Allen to continue as commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, suggested that officials viewed the matter as a possible infraction of military rules rather than a violation of federal criminal law.
“His leadership has been instrumental in achieving the significant progress that ISAF, working alongside our Afghan partners, has made in bringing greater security to the Afghan people, Panetta said. “He is entitled to due process in this matter.”
At the same time, Panetta urged the Senate to move ahead on confirmation hearings for Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Marine who has been selected by Obama to succeed Allen in Kabul.