The White House says it will go ahead with Gen. John Allen's nomination to become NATO commander.

The nomination had been put on hold while the Pentagon investigated Allen's email exchanges with a Florida woman linked to a sex scandal that led David Petraeus to resign as CIA director.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that its inspector general determined that the email exchanges did not amount to conduct unbecoming an officer.

White House press secretary Jay Carney says he hopes the Senate will consider Allen's nomination "in a timely manner."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Gen. John Allen says he is pleased that he was exonerated in a Pentagon investigation into his email exchanges with a Florida socialite linked to the sex scandal that led David Petraeus to resign as CIA director.

In a brief statement issued Wednesday through his spokesman, Allen also expressed gratitude for the support he received during the weekslong investigation by the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General.

The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that the inspector general had determined that Allen's email exchanges did not amount to conduct unbecoming an officer. The investigation report itself has not been made public.

Allen is commander of all coalition forces in Afghanistan and had been nominated to be Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces.

He is due to leave his current post Feb. 10.