WASHINGTON - U.S. officials say the Marine general who just left a 19-month command in Afghanistan is undecided about becoming the U.S. military's top soldier in Europe after being linked to — and cleared of — a sex scandal that felled former CIA Director David Petraeus.

Marine Gen. John Allen was nominated last autumn for the coveted job overseeing U.S. and NATO forces in Europe.

But it was shelved during a Pentagon investigation into emails Allen exchanged with a civilian woman who was linked to the scandal that forced Petraeus to resign.

Allen since has been cleared of wrongdoing.

Allen's spokesman would not say whether the general was reconsidering the job. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta praised Allen Wednesday.

Other officials familiar with Allen's thinking spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

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