Gen. Brent Scowcroft, President Nixon’s military adviser, and the National Security Adviser for both Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, today came out publicly to endorse former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president.

Scowcroft was a primary architect of the first Gulf War, and has subsequently had high-profile lobbying jobs for the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments, a fact which is considered particularly controversial because of his large interest in major US military contractors.

Scowcroft praised Clinton for her experience as Secretary of State, saying she understands the need both for the US to maintain a “strong military advantage,” and for considerable “engagement beyond our borders” to make the world safe.

Scowcroft has made fewer public comments on foreign policy in recent years, but did accuse Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority of being to blame for the country’s woes after the US occupation, saying that they are “stuck in the Saddam-era mindset.”

The consummate DC insider, it is unsurprising that Scowcroft would see Clinton as the preferable option to presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, whose less “status quo” posture might threaten US arms makers’ bottom line, and might weaken his lobbying stature.