Marine Gen. John Allen, the commander of allied forces in Afghanistan since 2011, this week announced his retirement, forfeiting his nomination as NATO supreme allied commander in Europe. Allen said he was leaving the military in order to help his wife, Kathy, who has an autoimmune disorder. The general’s nomination to the prestigious NATO post was put on hold last year after revelations that he sent hundreds of emails to Florida socialite Jill Kelley. A Pentagon investigation cleared Allen of wrongdoing in January, and his nomination was restored. President Obama thanked Allen for his service in Afghanistan and called him “one of America’s finest military leaders.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
‘Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right’ by Laura K. Field and ‘The Dream Factory: London’s First Playhouse and the Making of William Shakespeare’ by Daniel SwiftFeature An insider’s POV on the GOP and the untold story of Shakespeare’s first theater
-
How to shop smarter with a grocery budgetThe Explainer No more pushing your cart down the aisles on autopilot
-
Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secretsfeature Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, through Feb. 22
