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Retired US general resigns from prestigious role over Qatar allegation

The president of the Brookings Institution resigned Sunday amid a federal investigation into whether he illegally lobbied on behalf of Qatar.

Retired Gen. John Allen wrote in a letter to the think tank that he was leaving with a ‘heavy heart’ but did not offer a direct explanation.

A retired four-star Marine general who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Allen’s announcement came less than a week after a report on new court filings that showed the FBI had seized Allen’s electronic data as part of the lobbying probe. Allen has not been charged with any crimes and, through a spokesman, has denied any wrongdoing.

Brookings, which had put Allen on administrative leave the day after the initial report, issued a statement thanking Allen for guiding the think tank through the coronavirus pandemic and other contributions.

The new court filings detail Allen’s behind-the-scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in June 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the Qatar monarchy and its neighbours. An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant there was ‘substantial evidence’ that Allen had knowingly broken a foreign lobbying law, and had made false statements and withheld ‘incriminating’ documents.

In mid-2017 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries announced a blockade of Qatar over its alleged ties to terror groups and other issues. Shortly after the blockade was announced, then-President Donald Trump appeared to side against Qatar. The court papers say Allen played an important role in shifting the US’s response. Specifically, authorities say Allen lobbied then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to have the Trump administration adopt more Qatar-friendly tone.

The federal investigation involving Allen has already ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges earlier this month, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges.

Brookings, one of the most prestigious think thanks in the U.S., had initially hired Allen as a senior fellow before tapping him as president in late 2017 and paying him more than $1 million a year, according to recent tax records. Qatar has long been a major financial backer of Brookings, though Allen decided in 2019 to stop taking any new donations from the country. Qatari officials have not responded to requests for comment about the Allen investigation.

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Daily Mail
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