Die hard warrior and part-time strategist Scott McClellan today spoke up in a spirited defense of the 1600 Crew. Drawing on his extensive military background and hundreds of days deployed with the 101st Keyboard Commandos, McClellan had this to say about retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni:

"I recognize he's a retired general who certainly stated his position," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters. "But the president looks to those active commanders who are working to implement our policies and build a safer world to make America more secure."

Before his retirement, Zinni drew up invasion plans that called for deploying 300,000 troops, more than double the roughly 140,000 now in Iraq.