Jill Kelley leaves her home Monday, Nov 12, 2012 in Tampa, Fla. Kelley is identified as the woman who allegedly received harassing emails from Gen. David Petraeus' paramour, Paula Broadwell. She serves as an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where the military's Central Command and Special Operations Command are located.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
General investigated for emails to Petraeus friend
Jill Kelley leaves her home Monday, Nov 12, 2012 in Tampa, Fla. Kelley is identified as the woman who allegedly received harassing emails from Gen. David Petraeus' paramour, Paula Broadwell. She serves as an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where the military's Central Command and Special Operations Command are located.(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer /
November 13, 2012
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Allen is in Washington, where he was to testify at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Panetta said he asked committee leaders to delay that hearing.
The senior defense official said Panetta has not talked to Allen about the investigation, nor has he discussed the matter with Obama, although he consulted with unspecified White House officials before making the decision to seek a postponement of Allen’s confirmation hearing.
Panetta did talk about the Allen matter with Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who happens to also be in Perth for a meeting of American and Australian diplomatic and defense officials. Those talks were starting Tuesday with an official dinner.
With a cloud over Allen’s head, it was unclear Tuesday whether he would return to Kabul, even though Panetta said Allen would remain in command. The second-ranking American general in Afghanistan is Army Lt. Gen. James Terry.
NATO officials had no comment about the delay in Allen’s appointment.
‘‘We have seen Secretary Panetta’s statement,’’ NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero said in Brussels. ‘‘It is a U.S. investigation.’’
Panetta also said he wants the Senate Armed Services Committee to act promptly on Obama’s nomination of Dunford to succeed Allen as commander in Afghanistan. That nomination was made several weeks ago. Dunford’s hearing is also scheduled for Thursday.
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Associated Press writer Slobodan Lekic in Kabul, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.
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