489 retired national security leaders endorse Joe Biden for president

Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A group of 489 retired generals and admirals, as well as former national security officials and diplomats signed a letter endorsing Joe Biden for president Thursday.

The signatories include more than 200 retired generals and admirals, and nearly 300 former national security officials and diplomats, including former CIA and FBI Director William Webster as well as former defense secretaries William Perry, William Cohen, Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta and Ash Carter.

"We believe that Joe Biden is, above all, a good man with a strong sense of right and wrong," they wrote. "He is guided by the principles that have long made America great: democracy is a hard won-right we must defend and support at home and abroad."

The letter also states that while the signees -- who described themselves as Democrats, Republicans and Independents -- may hold differing opinions on some policy matters, they believe Biden's positions "are rooted in sound judgement, through understanding and fundamental values."

Retired Adm. Steve Abbot said he chose to sign the letter out of a duty to be involved in civic matters and cited disparaging comments President Donald Trump made about the late Sen. John McCain.

"Over the past four years, I've seen what is a clear manipulation of our military to serve his personal needs," Abbot said. "The military has been a loyal, reliable constant in this country because of its apolitical nature. And here we had a president working to undermine it."