Top US commander in Afghanistan under investigation

The U.S. Defense Department is investigating General John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, for alleged “inappropriate communications” with a woman involved in the scandal that led to the resignation of Central Intelligence Agency chief David Petraeus.

A senior defense official said Tuesday that the Pentagon is reviewing more than 20,000 pages of emails and other communications between General Allen and Jill Kelley. The official did not specify the nature of the documents.

Kelley is a friend of Petraeus, and it was her complaint to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about threatening emails from the woman with whom Petraeus had an affair that ultimately led to his resignation last Friday.

Pentagon spokesman George Little said the FBI brought the matter involving General Allen to the Defense Department Sunday, and that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has directed the department’s inspector-general to investigate.

General Allen has denied any wrongdoing, and will retain his command position in Afghanistan while the probe continues.

The senior official, who discussed the matter only on condition of anonymity because it is under investigation, said Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, believed it was prudent to launch a Pentagon investigation, although the official would not explain the nature of Allen’s problematic communications.

The official said the tens of thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Allen’s communications with Kelley between 2010 and 2012 are under review.

He would not say whether they involved sexual matters or whether they are thought to include unauthorised disclosures of classified information. He said he did not know whether Petraeus is mentioned in the emails.

“General Allen disputes that he has engaged in any wrongdoing in this matter,” the official said. He said Allen currently is in Washington.

Panetta has told reporters that while the matter is being investigated by the Defence Department Inspector General, Allen will remain in his post as commander of the International Security Assistance Force, based in Kabul. He praised Allen as having been instrumental in making progress in the war.

The FBI’s decision to refer the Allen matter to the Pentagon rather than keep it itself, combined with Panetta’s decision to allow Allen to continue as Afghanistan commander without a suspension, suggested strongly that officials viewed whatever happened as a possible infraction of military rules rather than a violation of federal criminal law.

Allen was Deputy Commander of Central Command, based in Tampa, prior to taking over in Afghanistan. He also is a veteran of the Iraq war.

In the meantime, Panetta said, Allen’s nomination to be the next commander of US European Command and the commander of NATO forces in Europe has been put on hold “until the relevant facts are determined”.

He had been expected to take that new post in early 2013, if confirmed by the US Senate, as had been widely expected.

President Barack Obama nominated the general last month to become the Commander of U.S. European Command and the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe.