BACK AT IT

General Allen Returns to Afghan Command

Nomination as top NATO general still on hold.

Nothing to see here. Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, returned to his post on Wednesday, a week after his name became ensnared in the ongoing investigation of former CIA director David Petraeus. Petraeus, Allen’s predecessor, resigned on Nov. 9, citing an extramarital affair with a woman later to be unmasked as his biographer, Paula Broadwell, who allegedly threatened a second woman, Tampa socialite Jill Kelley. Allen is currently under investigation for sending tens of thousands of “potentially inappropriate” emails to Kelley. Since then, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has put on hold Allen’s nomination for commander of the U.S. European Command and top NATO general.