The Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta told reporters on Wednesday, "No one should leap to any conclusions here, Gen. Allen, who is still in command of some 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, certainly has my continued confidence to lead our forces and to continue the fight," as reported by CBS News.
It was announced on Tuesday that 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.
It has been revealed that some of those exchanges were "flirtatious" and "inappropriate." 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 Petraeus was revealed.
Petraeus 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, Petraeus 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."
Petraeus 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, adding "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 Petraeus is the assistant director of the Office of Service member Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
RELATED ARTICLES:
General David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell Affair: Emails Between Jill Kelly and General John Allen were Flirtatious Defense Official Says
General David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell Affair: Jill Kelly, Florida Woman Central in CIA Sex Scandal, Seeks Diplomatic Immunity in 911 Call
General David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell Affair: Jill Kelly Involved in Threatening Emails from Another Top General John Allen
