Painting a bleak picture of the current US military as overextended and underequipped in fighting the war on terror, they told the Democratic National Convention in Boston that Kerry could keep the country safe and secure.

"I stand before you this evening because I believe that no one will be more resolute in defending America nor in pursuing terrorists than John Kerry," General John Shalikashvili, a former chairman of the joint chiefs, said in one the evening's main speeches.

He was preceded by Lieutenant Colonel Steve Brozak, who said his frustration with the military policies of the Republican administration had forced him to defect to the Democratic Party.

Brozak said Kerry had "a plan to win this war on terror," and would "strengthen our alliances and restore America's place in the world as a nation to be admired rather than questioned."

With polls showing Kerry still trailing President George W. Bush on issues of leadership and decisiveness, the officers' testimony was part of a concerted convention effort to boost their candidate's national security credentials.

Earlier Wednesday, a dozen retired generals and admirals endorsed Kerry's candidacy, as the Massachusetts senator arrived for the Boston convention with an entourage of fellow Vietnam War veterans.

Most of them also featured in a special video presentation at the convention, in which they laid out their support for Kerry before trooping out onto the podium in person.

Inviting comparisons with Bush, who never saw combat duty, Shalikashvili and Brozak said Kerry's decorated service in Vietnam qualified him to make tough decisions in an era of fear and uncertainty.

And criticising the unilateralism of the Bush administration, they also promoted Kerry as a leader capable of repairing traditional foreign alliances damaged by the US-led invasion of Iraq.

"John Kerry has made it crystal clear that no matter how strong we might be, success in the war on terror or in bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan and to Iraq will likely elude us, unless we bring friends and allies to our side," Shalikashvili said.

WAR.WIRE