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Thierry Charlier / AFP - Getty Images file
US General John Allen looks on following a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels in this Oct. 10, 2012, file photo.
Gen. John Allen, caught up and later cleared in a scandal over emails with a Florida socialite, is likely to withdraw from consideration for the job of top NATO commander, three U.S. military officials have told NBC News.
A Pentagon investigation last month cleared Allen of wrongdoing, but U.S. military officials said that Allen does not want to drag his family through a nomination process in which the emails would almost certainly come up.
Allen has spoken with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta but he has not had the chance to meet with President Barack Obama to voice his concerns. A U.S. official said that Obama was aware of Allen’s feelings, and they would meet to discuss the nomination in the coming days.
“After 19 months in command in Afghanistan, and many before that spent away from home, Gen. Allen has been offered time to rest and reunite with his family before he turns his attention to his next assignment,” an official on Allen’s staff told NBC News.
Allen’s emails with the socialite, Jill Kelley, came to light during the investigation that ultimately brought down CIA director David Petraeus, who confessed to an extramarital affair with a separate woman.
Allen was previously the top American commander in Afghanistan. The White House had said after the Pentagon cleared him of wrongdoing that it would proceed with its nomination of Allen for supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe.
Kelley, who acted as a volunteer “social liaison” with military officials at MacDill Air Force Base, inadvertently triggered the investigation that led to Petraeus’ resignation by complaining to the FBI about anonymous emails she received.
FBI agents traced the allegedly threatening emails to Paula Broadwell, Petraeus’ biographer.
Just last weekend, Allen took part in a handover ceremony and passed command of the Afghan mission to Gen. Joseph Dunford. Allen delivered an emotional speech aimed mostly at the Afghan people and stressed their role in taking over security by mid-year. He said that Afghan forces were defending their own people and allowing the government to serve its citizens.
“This is victory,” Allen said, according to Reuters. “This is what winning looks like.”
Last fall, defense officials told NBC News that while there was no evidence Allen and Kelley had had an affair, there was enough “inappropriate language” in them that they warranted an investigation by the Pentagon’s inspector general.
Obama nominated Allen last October for the NATO post but put a hold on the nomination while the Pentagon conducted its investigation.
In announcing the nomination, the president praised Allen’s stewardship of the Afghan mission and said that under his command “we have made important progress towards our core goal of defeating al-Qaida and ensuring they can never return to a sovereign Afghanistan.”
It remained possible that the president could ask Allen to reconsider and go ahead with the nomination, but a U.S. defense official does not think that will happen.
This story was originally published on Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:28 PM EST
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For all you dogging this guy for being a leader in the military not keeping his pants zipped, I refer you to the exalted Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, not to mention all the others that came forward afterwards. You libs see him as a fantastic example of a man. And Hillary only stayed with him to further political goals too. I notice all the women on this are he is a pig, Well that may be true, but women are just as bad or even worst. It's not like they don't know they're chasing married men. But then again it's the mans fault for eating the forbidden fruit given by the serpent. Can you say golddiggers?
what lovely leadership another bible beater hypocrite
denny, don't judge and you will not be judged.
You're right Denny - as long it's what everybody want's to hear, who cares if it's the truth. People don't get to the top without playing everyone.
I think that today people need to be more accepting of lapses in judgement and perhaps poor choices in their personal lives. It seems that if there is something questionable in one's past it will in all certainty surface. We all need to consider that people are human with the faults that plague all humans. Unless we want to make everyone afraid to run for office or accept appointment to a high office we better be a bit more tolerant. I personally wouldn't trust someone on this earth who is perfect.
so... that is the Headline they are gonna run huh, what about telling everyone he refused to serve any longer if Obama had another term? anyway you did good to get out now Allen and thank you for the years of service.
Jim - WTF, are you smoking dope or just don't know what the hell you're talking about. "We all need to consider that people are human with the faults that plague all humans." During his career he smoked more guys for doing exactly what he did. Took money, rank, restriction, the guy's career was over. Do you really think he said " okay scumbucket, I'll let you off easy because we're all human" You ARE smoking dope. This guy still has his career, he should be made to retire for extreme lack of judgement.
I thought this was about Allen....why are you all bringing up Obama and Clinton and everything else?
maybe if we had a American as president and not a non American that is ruining everything our family's help to build, then maybe people like Allen would have stayed.
Brad Wilson: Your comment needs some follow-up.
OK, "trumps up!" Provide your proof.
I have no problem with you calling any President "unAmerican", when it comes to your perspective. I sincerely question when you call one "non American".
Brad sounds too much like donald trump. Guess his daddy had sex with the same orangatan.
Wouldn't it be nice if all the Commissioned Officers, Senior NCOs, and enlisted military personnel that meet their retirement requirements, decided to submit their retirement requests on March 1st, 2013, in protest to the current administrations agendas?
yo general how about stopping your cousin peter allen of 24 wintergreen dr coram new york from molesting any more children or are you still covering for him not only me but 4 of my sons and a daughter in law are all still in uniform not to mention the whole of MY corps want an answer to this and no you will not evade me either fix or you will be fixed @!$%# chesty puller tols us how to deal with scum like you and the molester you lied to cover for which is particuly confuseing since peter is a draft dodgingf coward
Corrupt government....corrupt military.
Would he not be an excellent head of the Department of Defense, then? Wouldn't it be more reasonable to have someone that is hot off the Afghanistan war theater to possess the best decision making potential for our Armed forces?
That's my view.
Amazing to me how many posters don't seem to have actually read this article.
1. General Allen was CLEARED of any wrongdoing in the Jill Kelley email issue.
2. General Allen said, despite being cleared...the emails will be dredged up as part of a confirmation hearing and he wants to spare his family going through that all over again.
3. His career is NOT ruined and the Head of NATO is NOT the best job in all the military leading ostensibly to the Chairman's job...
4. General Allen has served his country with distinction since graduating from the Naval Academy in 1976...I suspect that he has done more for his country, risked more, put his family through more separation and fear...than any 1,000 of the posters here...and did so in the first 5 years after graduation...and for what? For all the idiots who post on here with half truths and made up "facts"...
Thank you so much for your service General Allen. If you choose to retire...Fair Winds and Following Seas!
yes so true I didn';t take notice of his BS,SS,or PH or combat device. a true hero that blew it over a piece of A$$
Skip,
I don't think most of these posters are listening...or even care about the article...or the facts. This thread just gives them another opportunity to rank about their pet agendas, preconceived notions and baseless conspiracy theories. It is unfortunately the nature of the beast.
a true POS like NOBAMBA www.leavenworth10.com
joe???:
navatar yourself to the land you wish to exist in.
no "true soldier" would be so crass.
Obama is not really going to make defense cuts. He is going to earmark all new appropriations to NATO. The only cuts he will make is in the military units themseleves and their benefits.
Whats with all the army generals not being able to keep it in their pants or keep if off computers? I'm not sure there are that many lilly white power leaders out there and I'm not sure that this should keep them from serving. It didn't stop Kennedy or Clinton in the modern world, so why should it do it now?
I'm neither right or left , because both sides have agendas. As for failed leadership of the Oval Office can anyone tell me again why we waged war in Iraq?; WMD's that were never found? Oil fields that every other country but the US has claim to?, A Shiite controlled Iraq that is more inline with Iran than Saddam would've every allowed? and Afghanistan is controlled by warlords and not Al Qaeda, that is still in Pakistan but for some ungodly reason we dump a sickening amount of money into the war effort. I served in both crap-holes and funny how Iraq isn't on any media NBC or FOX but yet both were cheer leading the war effort.
I'm not an armchair quarterback that wants to go to war with every country (like so many other veterans), which will drain this great country of all it's funds quicker than anything else on the table. You have a strong military to deter war not wage them. This is not WWII,Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and I most certainly don't care for the freedom of an Afghani or Iraqi that simply wanted to left alone. Nor do I believe in this reckless spending that the current POTUS seems not to grasp.
We can do so much to help Americans but we sweat the little guys that get by every once and while. We care more about the knucklehead that buys lobsters with EBT , than the big business that are still sucking on corporate welfare system that takes millions, if not billions from hard working people, but we worry about the 100 dollars or so from a knucklehead.
For all you gun-nuts, if that day comes and the government starts collecting the guns, I'd be the first to say I was wrong. But the 3 assault rifles and 2 pistols I own..I waited the 3-5 days to get, never really had a reason to need one on demand. But if your that few percent that would never qualify to get due a background check and your worried about that loophole (private sells) getting closed, you probably don't need one(which is funny because, I've taken the 15 minutes out of my day to read the 23 executives orders on gun control, nothing can even equate to guns being taken away).
As for 2016 we will probably see a woman in office. Why? because some everyday men still think that they know what's best for a women. I can't carry a baby nor do I ever wish to. I find it absurd as if an everyday women knows what's best for me in testicular health and care.
The left side of the spectrum needs you scared to give them power blindly and the right side of the spectrum needs you scared of the left side. The way I see it , made this is the failure of a two party system.
"When someone cries false flag, make sure you check their flag first."
Well said! Interesting read! Thanks so much for sharing!
He knows the talk with this head on a stick, could come again. She did her job, hope the foreign country gives her a check that is big enough for her to retire. All women, are nothing but trouble. That fur piece between their legs is what keeps them alive...or the smart men would killed them all, long ago. Allen may have hoped for some pussy, now he knows what THAT would have done. All pussy has teeth and a fee. Even Generals have to find that out the hard way.
General McCrystal was fired immediately for being critical of Obama. Paul Allen violates the number one thing they warn you about in military school and he is being touted for a promotion. What Allen did was far worse than what McCrystal did. Looks lie Obama does have some thin skin.
They ruined their own careers... Nobody made them play with the Bimbos... They were/are married. They brought it on themselves. They still get their pension, unaffected by their stupid actions... General Ward, wish he still had all of his Stars... Time to go...
Those who lacks virtues should not be in power. Virtue less leaders always bring disorder to their institutions or their nations. Generals are the role model of their subordinates and if generals becomes corrupt subordinates becomes corrupt. No nation can ever win wars if its generals becomes corrupt. Corrupt generals always bring ruins and disaster to their armies. Victory in wars depends on the characters of its generals. Generals who lacks virtues should never lead armies.
Sorry to see Gen. Allen turn the post down, but he is right to not want to put his family through the hypocritical senate hearings. Especially after the dems just endorsed a total Horses Ass for Secretary of Defense. Who would want to work for that bozo? Then to think a Senator like Menendez will sit in judgement of others. Reminds me of Uncle Teddy "Chappaquiddick" Kennedy railing on about morality to Clarence Thomas.
"Good night, Grace-less"
I seriously doubt that anyone over the age of ten could stand up to the kind of scrutiny and criticism and media coverage that is brought to bear on anyone nominated by Obama. For those of you who judge so quickly, ask how well you would do if every single aspect of your life were examined by people who wanted to find fault. It isn't just a question of your foolish mistakes, it is also a question of your good decisions being twisted into failures. No one is perfect. Everyone has said foolish things. Everyone has had a few friends they probably wished later they had never met. I doubt if anyone on these vines would do well with a Senate committee if all of their posts were examined with a fine tooth comb. We sometimes give voice to statements that we would later like to retract. In the heat of a moment, a single comment can be recast as representative of your emotional stability, your character, and your morality. Sometimes, that is a dangerous game. We are throwing away the very people who might be best able to serve us well.
Maybe General Allen should be put in charge of a Special Investigative Unit into the Mass Rape that is affecting Female soldiers in our military and has for the last few years, just ask Panetta who left. The Military takes care of its own, especially Generals, and Officers, the enlisted men always get screwed.
//
Typical republican who couldn't keep their thinking head in their pants and got caught...joins a long line of fine christisn soldiers like newt, foley, sanford, craig and vitter.
What a shame! He was a really great guy with good experience to take with him to the job! Why, oh why, don't we get the good guys in and all the BAD ONES OUT of our political system!!!!!