USA special envoy to counter IS leaves the office

State Department officials said they were not ready to officially announce Allen’s departure, but he has notified his superiors he will give up his job in early November, after serving just over one year.

Allen and the Obama administration have also been at an impasse over what they believe should be the ultimate goal in Syria.

Allen’s pending departure comes during a hard period for the U.S.-led fight against ISIS, which the Marine Corps commandant, Lt. Gen. Robert Neller, admits is at a “stalemate”. The Pentagon plans to overhaul its effort to train Syrian insurgents, which has yielded only four or five fighters still combating IS, according to the top military commander of Middle East operations.

USA officials familiar with Allen’s decision say he has been frustrated with House micromanagement of the war and its failure to provide adequate resources to the fight. He is also said to be motivated by concern over the health of his wife, who has an autoimmune disorder.

Derek Harvey, a former senior USA military intelligence official said that, Allen “was never empowered to bring the leadership necessary to achieve the mission”.

A year ago today in a nationally televised address, President Obama spoke to the nation about his intention to “degrade” and “ultimately destroy” the Islamic State (aka ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.

The 62-country coalition battling the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is making progress, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The general was able to convince Turkey to allow the U.S.to use Incirlik Air Base during his time leading the USA war effort against ISIS.

Smoke rises in the distance behind an Islamic State (IS) group flag and banner in northern Iraq on September 11, 2015. The Turks recently launched an offensive not against the jihadists but against Kurdish separatists, who have been important allies to the US on the ground.

Lynch said that, among the numerous groups seeking to wrest control of Syria from President Bashar al-Assad, the most powerful are extreme: the group which calls itself the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah, as well as others. “We are not where we should be at this point”.

After originally committing to six months, Allen stayed in the position for an additional six months at the request of US Secretary of State John Kerry. Before the White House names his replacement, Allen’s job responsibilities will likely pass to Ambassador Brett McGurk, his deputy.

General Allen speaking at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

President Obama owes us some answers about the good, the bad and the ugly of the war on the Islamic State.