Former secretaries of state warn of weakened US influence

WASHINGTON - Four former Republican secretaries of state on Thursday endorsed Mitt Romney for president, warning of weakened US influence in the world due to an anemic recovery in the past years.

The former top US envoys - Condoleezza Rice, James Baker, George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, came out against Barack Obama over his weakest spot just as the Democratic president was set to accept his party's nomination on Thursday evening to face Romney in the Nov 6 presidential election.

Economic growth and job creation have remained top issues in this year's election campaigns, and Obama continued to have more negative views for his handling of the economy, as latest poll showed.

In the poll, Romney beat Obama by seven points among registered voters on economy, but the president won in likeability by a double-digit lead as well as on social issues.

"But we cannot be strong militarily, politically or diplomatically unless we are strong economically," the secretaries of state wrote in an article for The Washington Times.

"These past few years, we have experienced an anemic economic recovery, one that has weakened our influence in the world and shaken the confidence of our friends and allies," they remarked, warning "If the US economy continues to stagnate, then predictions of an American retreat from greatness could come true".

The quartet called Romney a man who has the "experience, strategy and temperament" to lead a robust economic recovery and rein in the mounting federal debt that threatens American future.

"And he fully understands that our prosperity at home is inextricably linked to our influence abroad," they added, asserting "American leadership remains critical to global peace and prosperity".