Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, John Allen was also involved in the sex-scandal that caused the resignation of the CIA Director David Petraeus. According to the latest news, Allen had contacted Jill Kelly regarding the threatening emails she received from the woman Petraeus was having an affair with, Paula Broadwell.
Although the nature of these exchanges have not been revealed, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta informed the Associated Press that the Pentagon has started an internal investigation into emails from Gen. Allen to Kelly, a Florida woman involved in the case.
National Security spokesman Tommy Vietor said on Tuesday morning on behalf of President Barrack Obama that "the president remains focused on fully supporting our extraordinary troops and coalition partners in Afghanistan, who Gen. Allen continues to lead as he has so ably done for over a year," as reported by the Associated Press.
Authorities revealed on Sunday, that Broadwell sent threatening letters to Jill Kelly. Kelly worked for Florida State Department liaison to the military's Joint Special Operations Command. When Kelly, 37, informed the FBI of the threatening emails, who in turn traced it back to Broadwell, after which the relation to Patraeus was revealed.
Patraeus submitted his resignation last week to President Barrack Obama on Friday citing an extramarital affair as an the cause for stepping down.
According to the New York Times, Patraeus said in his statement, "After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair...Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the president graciously accepted my resignation."
Patraeus was appointed Director of CIA in September of 2011. Prior to this, the 60-year-old served as a four star general in the U.S. Army. He led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Deputy Director of CIA, Michael J. Morell, will fill in the position.
"By any measure, through his lifetime of service, David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger," said President Obama in a statement released upon Patraeus' resignation,
Without directly addressing the affair, Mr. Obama added: "Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who has done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time," as reported by The New York Times.
Holly Patraeus is the assistant director of the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
While Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had voiced her intention of resigning from the position prior to Obama's re-election, Patraeus intended on remaining as the CIA Director. His resignation surprised both the administration and media.
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David Patraeus Resigns: CIA Director Cites Extramarital Affair as Reason, Michael J. Morell, Deputy Director Takes Over
David Patraeus Extramarital Affair: CIA Director's Mistress Paula Broadwell Discovered Through Threatening Emails to Florida Woman
