Top US commander in Afghanistan under investigation as Petraeus scandal widens

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

The rapidly unfolding scandal surrounding David Petraeus' affair ensnared another top-ranking official overnight, with the American commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Allen coming under investigation for "inappropriate communications" with a woman at the heart of the controversy.

A senior defense official confirmed the investigation was due to allegations of inappropriate emails between Allen and Jill Kelley, a close friend of the Petraeus family. Kelley was the woman who originally notified the FBI when she received threatening emails from Petraeus' mistress Paula Broadwell -- that investigation later uncovered the affair.

The nature of the communications between Allen and Kelley was "flirtatious," according to one senior defense official. Sources said officials are reviewing 20,000 to 30,000 pages of documents -- mostly emails -- between 2010 and 2012. One official would only say "there is the distinct possibility" this case is connected to the Petraeus investigation.

That investigation, it appears, it still ongoing. FBI agents on Monday conducted a search of Broadwell's home in Charlotte, N.C. FBI agents appeared at Broadwell's home carrying the kinds of cardboard boxes often used for evidence gathering during a search. They walked through the open garage of Broadwell's house and knocked at a side door before entering the home, but refused to talk to the media.

Further, Fox News confirms that the FBI agent who originally spurred the Petraeus investigation was taken off the case because authorities grew concerned about his relationship with Kelley. Kelley had alerted this agent to her concerns about the harassing emails from the start, but the agent was removed from the case over the summer because of his behavior, which included sending shirtless photos of himself to Kelley. He now faces an internal investigation.

As for Allen, for now he will remain the head of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. However, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has referred the case to the Pentagon's inspector general's office for investigation. For the time being, Allen's nomination to be commander of U.S. European Command and commander of NATO forces in Europe is on hold. Allen was scheduled to have a nomination hearing for that position Thursday and had been expected to take that new post in early 2013, if confirmed by the Senate, as had been widely expected.

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The General was indiscreet?