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Mohammad Ismail / Reuters
General John Allen speaks during an interview in Kabul on February 9, 2013.
General John Allen has decided to retire rather than proceed with his nomination as the NATO supreme allied commander due to "health issues" in his family, President Barack Obama said on Tuesday.
In January, Allen was cleared by Pentagon investigators of allegations of professional misconduct over email exchanges with a Florida socialite. Allen had commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
"Today, I met with General John Allen and accepted his request to retire from the military so that he can address health issues within his family," Obama said in a statement.
The decision by the Defense Department's Inspector General helped lift a cloud that had hung over Allen, who is married and has two daughters, since he became ensnared in the scandal that forced retired General David Petraeus to resign as CIA director in November.
The Pentagon inquiry centered on emails between Allen and Jill Kelley, a Tampa, Fla., 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.
The Kelley-Allen emails surfaced when the FBI investigated Kelley's allegations of receiving anonymous, harassing emails from someone else about Petraeus. Those other emails led the FBI to uncover an extramarital affair between Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
Earlier: Allen likely to withdraw from consideration for NATO post
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:15 PM EST
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
Thank you General Allen and thanks to your family. Both served our nation well.
Ditto. Thanks guys.
One way to say there are more job openings..everyone is quitting.
Our country needs new blood anyway..best type of general now needs a Facebook an Twitter account.
Video game player would be a great general!
thanks for your service Gen. Allen, and you have made the right choice in quitting. considering that many military personel have recently been asked if they would follow orders if instructed to fire on american citizens, i think this retirement has more to do with whats right and wrong than family health issues.
@ mike277
Well...for starters, I suck at Starcraft and I fear for my sons (and now daughters) if my child is serving a general that cut his/her teeth with Zerg rushes.
My child is not zergling of the month!
Now, as for me, big gamer, I'd say I'm much better suited for the Chairforce!
Plug me into that UCAV already
/My wife for Aiur!
Mass exodus of the upper brass. Appears Obama is doing the same thing Morsi did. Got rid of the patriots and put his Muslim Brotherhood freedom hating murderers in power.
A fine soldier and General. Thanks for your service.
I didn't realize one general retiring was considered a "mass exodus."
That would be the disfunctional family led by CIC Obama. Seriously, having to answer to a narcisistic biatch like Barack would try the patience of Mother Teresa. Gods speed General, amazing you lasted this long considering your inept boss.
American 400792;
I believe that you are right!
As for you people, who are monitering this site, You all need to get saved!
"What would it profit a man if gain the whole and lose his soul?"
It ain't worth it. God will judge you people!
Do what's right.
Who cares?
Wow... the wingnuts crawling out from under the dung blaming Obama... Sound like more of that dittohead fox fantasy rubbish... “Muslim brotherhood”? Orders to fire on American citizens (like Reagan and Nixon did?)?
WTF is wrong with rightwing America? Since when did bat-shait crazy become acceptable behavior...?? Was it Beck, Colter, the drug addict known as “RUSH”, Jones? Walsh? Mourdouch? Ad nauseam...
Thank god we have a real President leading us now instead of the marionettes the GOP has been propping up in the past.
GOP = Greed Over Principles.
General Allen made the right choice to retire, as there are health issues centering around his wife that need to be addressed...
Also, the General has devoted almost 40 years in service with the Marine Corps and to this country...
Semper Fi, Marine!
And, thanks!
Agreed
Don't let the screen door hit you on the way out...I hope it was kellylicious..
General Allen spent his adult life serving your country. What you you done you ungrateful dolt?
TO: navyvet98 who wrote:
Because it was military personnel who were playing with the ladies, and so they have to accept personal responsibility for the things they did.
Now I have a question: Why are the freaks always after the President?
Everytime you turn around Republicans are either looking for something, or making up something, to try to pin on the President.
Oh "rick in the forest", you dumbass, like Mike said, "what have you done for this country?"
He must have learned to play with the ladies from Bill Clinton. Or it could have been Hillary.
I have to say however that these men had fine taste in mistresses.
It's a shame that we are such a pent-up country that we chase good talent out the door just because they get caught in a pincer-movement by some hot ladyfriend of theirs.
I say it's time that we actually focus on people's qualifications and dedication to our country rather than their ability to stay faithful to their spouses.
/Clinton was a fine president who needed better interns
Sorry "American girl", it's not the "freaks" that are after your president, it's real Americans that want HIM to accept personal responsibility for HIS actions. You people allow him to take our freedoms and you expect everyone to sit idly by... that's not going to happen.
BECAUSE of BHO, there is a feeling in America that we're being lead to ruin... and WE, THE PEOPLE will fight for Our freedom, no matter how he spins it. I feel sorry for people like you American Girl, you've no idea what freedom is, or what it costs. I do... I served my Country, and will not allow BHO to destroy it.
We've outrageous unemployment, we have millions of people that won't work (not can't find work, but won't) and we have a feeling of entitlement that's never been felt before. And YES, I blame him... he's the one in charge... don't blame ANYONE before him... he has the helm. How this country goes, it's HIS responsibility. Right now, he's wasting time with this gun control fiasco. We all know he's doing the Wizard of Oz act, "don't look behind the curtain, there's nothing to see"...
American Girl, it's YOUR fault, and people like you, that we're in the shape we are in.. YOU voted for him!
American Girl
It was a democrat President that taught all of us how to take advantage of ladies and make it look acceptable. You and the rest of libeal America had no problem with it.
Why were the freaks always after George Bush?
What goes around comes around. Except George Bush was a better man that Barack Obama. You may not of liked his policies but he at least wasn't anywhere near as divisive to democrats as Obama is to republicans.
You mean like Dubya did when he ordered the deaths of thousands of Iraqis?
TO: bob johnson-1135406 who wrote:
President Bill Clinton is one of the finest gentlemen in the history of the United States, who would put his position as President of the United States in jeopardy, just to protect a lady's chastity.
Sexy!
American girl you deserve what ever is thrown your way on these boards. This was an article on General Allen, not the fool in the White House. Why is it you Dems always divert the topic to Obama? There is no way you can make him look good at what he has done to this country.
Rweber followed by numbers
no...he means like JFK and LBJ ordering the deaths of 63,000 US soldiers and 5 million civilians...interesting eh?
TO: JimO-2263992 who wrote:
I can't stand to read the words of sick racist pig.
Yeah, it's always the Democrats. G H W Bush had affairs and I have no doubt that his son had them also but no one was trying to pin something on them because they are Republicans and everyone knows that Republicans don't cheat on their wives. Yeah right.
http://zplonk.tripod.com/cheating_republicans.html
And this doesn't include General Petraeus..also a Republican
TO: Sadden American 2012 who wrote:
You don't sound like any "real American" to me, you sound like a domestic terrorist that doesn't have any respect for this country or for the President of the United States, which would at least be treasonist to most folks.
You need to work on George "Curveball" Bush's life in denial and inability to accept personal responsiblity for his incredible failures that damaged this country and the American People so badly, and then get yourself some kind a medication cause you sound like you're losing it.
@American Whatever
#2.9 is about the stupidest pablum ever posted here!...hahaha...your head is so far up the rectum of the democrap party only your feet are showing!...pretty funny comedy routine you posted
Bill gotta cigar Clinton was a stone embarrasment to Presidents and men alike , dumbazz couldn't keep his adultery shyte straight EVEN WITH the full resources of the Presidency
by the way , how come you don't see anything ever showing Bill and Hillarious together at anytime anywhere?...that's because she IS stupid , but shes not THAT damn stupid
who's the uglyazz broad in your avatar?...oh ya , a Hollywierd skank , nevermind
American Girl(most likely a cross dressing liberal), when you play the race card it only shows what a coward you really are.
Only a president can say something like, "I did not have sex with that woman!" And then later come back and say, "I didn't know oral sex was sex," and get away with it.
American Girl-724855
This comment from a 'freak' that's "after the President"....but in a different way - lol. Don't slobber yourself over him too much "American Girl" (most likely about 80 years old weighing in at 400lbs.).
American Girl,
How can someone be a "racist pig" when nobody has even come close to making a comment about any race. You are the only one who has made a direct comment about race with the accusatory remark "racist pig". So are you saying about yourself? Just Saying....
Nearly every president whether it be Democrat or Republican has cheated on their wives but no president except Clinton has been harassed over his sexual conduct before the fact. Republicans went after Clinton from day one simply because the people voted for him over the Republican G H W Bush.
What you right wing fruitcakes need to do is move on and support this country before your Republicans in congress bring down the economy. Ah hell. There's no use talking to a bunch of nuts. Never mind.
American Girl you have a serious mental problem, very serious. No where is my comment racist. I just happen to believe that Obama is a bad President. Calling him a fool is not racist. Having an opinion about his lack of skills as a president are only that, and using the word fool is as described in a thesaraus means:
ass, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, boob*, bore, buffoon, clod, clown, cretin*, dimwit, dolt*, dope*, dumb ox, dunce, dunderhead, easy mark, fair game, fathead, goose, halfwit, idiot, ignoramus, illiterate, imbecile, innocent, jerk*, lamebrain, lightweight, loon, moron, nerd*, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, numskull, oaf, sap*, schlemiel, silly, simpleton, stooge, sucker, turkey, twerp, twit, victim
Not a single word that describes his race or anyway descrbes he is incompetent because of his race, thus not making a slur against the African American Community for his Incompetency. The fact is plain and simple, he is a bad president and history will later reflect that fact.
Democrats, you are correct. We don't trust Obama. And, proof positive we will monitor and comment on every move Obama makes. It's called “The 1st amendment” and we're going to use it as long as we have it available to us! We're just trying to emulate our Democratic brothers. You have shown us the way!
Sadden American 2012: Well stated, sir. A succinct and accurate assessment of the mess the liberals have created for us. Let us hope we can clean up after thisPOS POTUS, or block his BS programs from furthering us along the road to doom!
Why is it only military personnel held accountable. Never anyone ijn the State Department or obama Administration? Its like Bill Clinton never left.
navy
I see you have the same old selective memory. Is that because you're a@s hole cuts the blood flow off to your brain? Or is it do to not having a brain at all?
...or Newt Gingrich, Da vid Vitter, Mark Foley, Mark Sanford, Larry Craig...need I go on?
or george bush, dick cheney, donald rumsfeld, paul wolf-oh-wits, etc.
Accountable for what? He was cleared of all involvement in the Patreaus incident.
In all reality he's probably saying to himself "I've had enough of this bullsh*t and I'm leaving before the political parasites hell-bent only on character assasination instead of WHAT IS REALLY TRUE suck the life out me."
Best Wishes General..."you did good."
TO: Leave the gun, take the cannoli who wrote:
He was cleared of "professional misconduct", but he had to have had his hand in the cookie jar (or his foot stuck in the mud) in order to come under that kind of scrutiny in the first place.
If he never knew these ladies, he would have never have been put under the microscope in the first place.
He came under scrutiny because he knew someone who was part of the investigation. Knowing someone does not make you guilty of anything. Knowing someone who is doing wrong doesn't make you guilty, either. In some states not reporting something you know about is a crime in other states it is not. I seem to recall that there was a suspicion that maybe he might have divulged secret information because someone thought his secure email had been used inappropriately. Turned out he had not. But apparently the suspion remains because of course the authorities get it right each time and if you are investigated you must be guilty of something right? Really? You believe that? He must be guilty of something because he was investigated. Really?
American Girl - to me the phrase "hand in cookie jar" implies finacial misconduct and as far as I have heard Gen Allen was never accused of financial misconduct. He may have gotten caught up in the Patreus/Florida bs, but that was more of poor judgment and a morality question - and he was cleared there.
Josephie is correct there is no evidence he jeopardized the security of the US, or any other action. We all rush to judgement in this nation, someone is pulled in as a person of interest and we are ready to execute them. Sometimes a free press is not in the public interest, the press needs to learn to self censor, not publish names etc until there are charges and evidence to support. Example - The Atlanta Olympic Bomber - the FBI and press put out the name of a person of interest and turns out he was completly innocent, but how many people remeber the innocent part.
Hillary took blame for the Embassy fiasco but left town before the cover-up got ugly so she can run for President. I could not bear 4 years of her screeching voice anymore than I can bear the liar-in-chiefs voice anymore. His Generals don't want to work for him any longer so they are retiring while they look good. As for the Kellylicious comment, right on. He played he got caught now he runs.
American Girl, if you only the truth of the lives of these people.
look good on the outside, but full of dead men bones on the inside!!!
Thank you sir for your service.
Thank you General for your service to our country, and all the American servicemen's lives you saved through your leadership, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. Semper Fi
It's a shame that the General's troubles were started by miscreants who just wanted to upset things. At what point does this qualify as aid-and-comfort to the enemy when people do this kind of thing?
Agreed, and as it turned out it was much ado about nothing. He just got caught in the middle of his superiors transgressions, the antics of a socialite wannabe and the liberal press and their unquenchable thirst for blood of any kind. Enjoy retirement General. It's a wonderful thing.
Not to worry, he'll be working for a military contractor in a few weeks, raking in the big bucks. "Health Issues" - all gone.
Thanks you Gen. Allen for your patriotism and duty to this country. I hope the leadership you leave behind is up to the task.
NBC News - has anyone been watching how many qualified generals are being "retired" lately? Looks more like pushing out possible dissenters. This would be an interesting story.
nothing compared to the number of generals cheney cashiered when he was president from 2001-2009 for disagreeing with his faux war on teror in iraq or did you believe those lies too?
obama only wants generals who will kill Americans on his command, enough said.
I'm sure you have a ton of proof backing you up on that, Silver. People like you always have proof that what you're saying isn't complete, utterly ridiculous fabrications, right?
I'd start peeking out my windows Silver. Since you obviously know such delicate details you might be Obama's to kill list.
Don't necessarily egree with silver.
But then again do I hear a drone buzzing over my neighborhood?
@rickintheforest
I've seen some seriously ignorant people making post on here but I must say, to date, yours takes the gold.
When in the history of the United States was Cheney ever president? Let me know when you have those dates.
Typical liberals running of the mouth with nothing to back it up.
General Allen is a good man and a hell of a soldier. Osama Obama is neither. General Allen is taking the first door out he can honestly take. He has proven his innocence. Hey General Allen how about running for President next time. The GOP would love to have you. I would vote for you. I personally think that a prerequisite for holding the Office of Senator, Representative, Governor, Lt. Governor, President, Vice President or any major Federal position should be "Honorable" service in the Armed Forces. This would weed out the fools and left wing commies.
Why are we losing/changing a significant number of high ranking Military Officials, perhaps they are aware of a coming change and can not in good conscience support it? Some seem have been retired against their own choosing, why at such a nationally precarious time? Something is afoot. Perhaps something this way Wicked comes? I have very little trust the current administration is above usurping the entire American Political Process, perhaps this is the Flexibility he spoke of to Medvedev and Putin?
blah bl;ah blah...you must have dozed during the 8 years of faux patriotism and generals being @!$%#canned under the cheney presidency...
Then again perhaps Petraeus and Allen were not the only 'high ranking military officials' who didn't keep their peckers in their pants.
Other 'high ranking military officials' may be hoping that by dropping their profile, their randy romps will not be found out and made public.
General Allen did not have an affair. Petraeus did. They knew some of the same people and everyone wanted to know if Allen, his friend, was involved. He was not. He did nothing. Knee jerk on the left...knee jerk on the right.
rickintheforest, must be a very dense forest you live in, when was Cheney President, duh.
Being around the house with his wife after this fiasco, doesn't that make it more likely he will suffer more health issues?
Sorry to see John Allen go but I wonder whether the President has the guts to ask Gen Jim Mattis to take NATO. He's been eased out of Cencom early, supposedly b/c he keeps thwarting half-baked plans by insisting that somebody answers the question, "And then what????" Deep, precise, long range thinking is not accepted inside the Beltway, even when demanded by the finest senior combat leader in our armed forces today. (Yes, Virginia, Mattis has said many non-PC things, and rather than fall asleep, his warriors LOVED HIM.
Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.
I bet he I know where he learned that one.
The trouble is, these generals are people who are loyal to the people of the United States, and they can THINK. What is wanted in that job is someone who will blindly follow orders, no matter how much damage they do to the United States...
Perhaps when Cheney and Rumsfeld were running the show.
Thanks for your service General! Know it must be very painful to have gotten in this mess. Beautiful women just hurting powerful men!
I wish Menendez would do the same and get out. He is much worse then this!
Thenks General!
"He's the universal soldier and he really is to blame...but his orders come from far away no more...they come from you, and you, and me, and brother can't you see? This is not the way to put an end to war"! Buffie St Marie. What if "Five Deferrment Dick" Cheney threw a war and nobody came? ASHLEY JUDD (D-KY) 2014!
How many years did Ashley Judd serve. Bleeding heart liberals have a tendency to quickly feint away when it is their blood on the line. Better yet.. how many did you serve? Obviously none.
Navyvet98--great response! Semper Fi
Navyvet and Jarhead - How many years did DICK CHENEY Serve? How many Years did Mitt Romeny serve? How about Marco Rubio?
I've have several friends that slept with Ashley Judd.
Hollykb
GFYS.
Everybody slept with Ashley Judd and she is every bit as qualified to hold office as BHO.
To be sure...I am a decorated combat vet from one of the dumbest wars in US history, got a drawer full of useless junk I was awarded by the US and South Vietnamese governments to show for it, not to imply there are any smart wars. I gave up a military career when I realized I had been conned into going to Vietnam to engage in imperialistic colonization of a nation which had been kicking ass and taking names for a thousand years. Vietnam kicked China's ass, kicked Japan's ass, kicked the French ass and kicked the ass of the USA! If you can read, read Stanley Karnow's work on Vietnam, and if you really like puking, read Robert Macnamara's autobiography. I haven't had the pleasure of sleeping with Ashley Judd...don't think you, or your friends have either! Give uncle daddy my regards. ASHLEY JUDD (DEM KY 2014) May the blessings of the Olympian gods rain down on your little pointy heads!
The smart are bailing.
You can't fire me and tarnish my distinguished military career...... CUZ I QUIT !
Think it was a shame he wasn't tapping Jill Kelley.
Cool story. NEXT!
It's amazing what two bimbo broads can do......
"Top general tells Obama he's quitting"
Boy was I elated to hear that a top General told Obama he's quitting. With Obama not in the White House any more, surely we could get a better man in there to get things done!
Wait... there is another person in Washington that this top General should tell he is quitting... the V.P. ;=)
If written correctly it should probably read "Obama tells top general he's quitting."
General Allen, like so many others, served this nation during a time of political wars that took thousands of lives. Now, he rightly refuses to serve any longer, if it means he has to pass the obama litmus test, that is to say....be willing to give the order, or fulfill the order to kill american citizens. There are literally hundreds of General Officers and other "upper" rank officers doing the same thing, as well as Senior NCO's and enlisted "lifers." Just be grateful for the fact that when you get it in the back from a stranger in a Blue Berret speaking a foreign language, it wasn't the action of a Patriot. More likely than not, it was from an Obamacorp-Americare graduate or an illegal alien trained by the military.
Gen Allen Thanks for your service and as a tax payer I hope you enjoy your quarter of a million dollar per year retirment.
Well, we know his ears will never get cold.....With his head positioned properly...
Ooorah!