John Allen resigns from military ahead of Nato nomination
The US general once tipped to become commander of Nato forces in Europe resigned from the military on Tuesday, months after becoming entangled in the David Petraeus sex scandal.
7:00PM GMT 19 Feb 2013
General John Allen had been nominated by the White House to take over the alliance's most senior military role but yesterday submitted his resignation in order to "address health issues within his family".
The former head of international forces in Afghanistan found his scheduled promotion derailed late last year when it emerged he had exchanged hundreds of emails with a married Florida socialite.
The correspondence between Gen Allen, 59, and Jill Kelley, 37, came to light as authorities tried to untangle a complex web of communications related to Mr Petraeus's affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
Mrs Broadwell allegedly sent Mrs Kelley a barrage of anonymous and threatening emails, warning her to stay away from Gen Allen and Mr Petraeus while the two men while both were posted at a military command in Tampa, Florida.
As investigators looked into Mrs Kelley's emails they stumbled across thousands of pages of correspondence with Gen Allen, who is also married, and raised concerns with the Pentagon.
While Mr Petraeus resigned as head of the CIA last year, Gen Allen was cleared of wrongdoing by a defence department investigation and authorities concluded no affair had taken place.
However, his brush with the scandal led to his nomination being temporarily put on hold by the Obama administration and the existence of the cache of emails cast a cloud over his nomination.
"Some of the messages are not the sort of things you would print in a family newspaper," one US official told The Washington Post.
Today, President Barack Obama said he had met with Gen Allen and "accepted his request to retire from the military so that he can address health issues within his family".
The Marines Corps officer led coalition forces in Afghanistan from February 2011 until earlier this month, when he handed over command to General Joseph Dunford, a fellow Marine.
During Gen Allen's tenure as head of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), he was responsible for the implementing the "surge" of 33,000 US soldiers tasked with reversing Taliban gains.
"John Allen is one of America’s finest military leaders, a true patriot, and a man I have come to respect greatly," Mr Obama said in a statement. "I wish him and his family the very best as they begin this new chapter, and we will carry forward the extraordinary work that General Allen led in Afghanistan."
The role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) traditionally goes to a senior American officer, who must be confirmed by the US Senate. The position, which doubles as head of the US's European command, is currently held by Admiral James Stavridis.
It was not immediately clear who would be selected to replace Gen Allen, although the post is likely to go to a four- or three-star general.
General Dwight Eisenhower was the first officer to take up the SACEUR post ahead of the invasion of Normandy during World War II.
