John Allen will step down as the White House’s envoy to the coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to a report Tuesday.
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Allen has defended the Obama administration’s IS strategy, including on one occasion earlier this month when he told ABC News that airstrikes have been successful in some areas of Iraq and Syria, where IS controls large swaths of territory.
Allen will leave his position along with his chief of staff Karin von Hippel.
Allen and the Obama administration have also been at an impasse over what they believe should be the ultimate goal in Syria. He unsuccessfully tried to convince the administration to allow USA tactical air control teams to deploy on the ground to help pick targets for air strikes in Iraq. He is also said to be motivated by concern over the health of his wife, who has an autoimmune disorder.
In recent days, the administration has developed plans for a more aggressive campaign in Syria, including expanding aid to rebel forces, backed by USA air power, which have had some success against the Islamic State on the ground. While Allen said in July that the terrorist group “is losing”, others like incoming Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Robert Neller have characterized the war as a “stalemate”.
“We have opportunities now [in Syria] that we didn’t think we would have. In the intervening months, we’ve seen remarkable progress in many respects”.
Allen, a retired U.S. Marine four star general and a former commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, had originally agreed to serve in the job for six months and has done it for a year, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Allen’s replacement is unclear, although it is likely at least some of his responsibilities will fall to his deputy, Ambassador Brett McGurk.
On September 10, 2014, Obama announced a “comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy” to “degrade, and ultimately destroy” Islamic State.
General Allen speaking at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
U.S. President Barack Obama is considering providing arms to a broader range of Syrian militant groups, according to reports late Monday.
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“General Allen remains focused on his duties at the State Department, coordinating Coalition efforts against ISIL”, Lavallee said.
