Investigation clears top US general
An investigation into allegations against General Tommy Franks of the US army, the man who would lead any Iraq invasion, has cleared him of all charges except that he allowed his wife to attend classified briefings.
The Pentagon’s inspector general failed to substantiate claims the general gave his wife Cathy a military bodyguard she was not entitled to, allowed military staff to run errands for her, and may not have properly reimbursed the government for all her travel when she accompanied him on official trips.
On the remaining issue, the probe found that Mrs Franks was present when the general was given highly classified information in his compartment on his military aircraft, one defence department official said.
He said the general’s wife does have security clearance, but that it was not high enough for her to have been present.
The inspector general’s report must go to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who will ultimately decide if action is to be taken against Franks.
Observers inside and outside the Pentagon have said the probe was not expected to be a setback for Franks because of his stature, as well as his importance to the White House in the war on terror and any war against Iraq.
