(MCT) — WASHINGTON — The top general in Afghanistan has been cleared in an email scandal that had threatened his career just as he was putting the finishing touches on plans for the American military drawdown in the 11-year-old war.

The Pentagon inspector general removed the cloud that had been hanging over Marine Gen. John Allen since last fall, according to Pentagon spokesman George Little, when he got caught up in the scandal that short-circuited the superstar career of retired general and former CIA Director David Petraeus.