Iraq as a work of art

According to Major General William Caldwell, chief spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, the country is a "work of art" in progress. According to the general, "Every great work of art goes through messy phases while it is in transition. A lump of clay can become a sculpture. Blobs of paint become paintings which inspire."

The general may be right, but lumps of flesh and blobs of blood are somewhat less inspirational, particularly when they're scattered about the streets.

However, the military aesthetic may differ from that of us civilians. With 1,272 Iraqis killed in October alone, the general must be expecting a masterpiece.