If you have a moment, imagine that you're out there in that desert, with everything you need to survive strapped onto your body, and knowing that at almost any moment you could get the "go" order to head into the interior. It's a daunting prospect, invading somebody's home, because people tend to shoot at you when you do that.

There is a time-honored way of dealing with all of that fear and tension: The War Dance. Here you see tank crews from the 4th Battalion of the 64th Armor Regiment psyching themselves up and "getting pumped" for combat. The idea is, naturally, to ritualize the movements of warfare and symbolize them while generating group enthusiasm for the rather unpleasant business of mechanized carnage.

I would imagine any women reading this to be shaking their heads in disgust at these testosterone-fueled panegyrics of machismo, but the practice dates back at least to 1,000 b.c., with the ancient Greek Pyrrhica Saltatio dances, for example. Also known as the "pyrrhic" and the "xiphism," these were mock displays of fighting, dodging, and so forth ascribed to Achilles and even the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux).

Up to Speed

So how are you staying connected with all of the excitement and whatnot? According to the UK Guardian, News websites see traffic soar. I believe it—since CNN and NYT have both been acting rather sluggish, suggesting heavy demand, and the same thing's happening overseas.

News websites such as Guardian Unlimited and BBC Online witnessed a surge in traffic as news of the first attacks broke.

Hitwise said the surge in internet use comes on the back of 7% rise in traffic across all news websites in the week running up to the war.

The top 15 US news sites had more than 40% more traffic yesterday than their daily average for the last month, according to US internet rating firms.

Over the past few days, you may have noticed that the Raven's spending more time than usual with the British press. That's because their coverage seems far less "massaged" and more trustworthy. Might not be true, but that's my sense of it. The London Times and the UK Independant seem especially on top of things.

About that Oil

This is breaking as we go to post: 'Three or four' oilfields set ablaze. Iraqi soldiers have torched a few rigs near Basra and "US troops in Kuwait have reportedly been ordered to get ready for an attack on Iraq by 4.30pm GMT." That would be about noon CST.

The Real Reasons for the War

Although the administration doesn't keep me in the loop, I agree with this analysis which shakes the rationale out as follows:

1. Oil—but not in terms of grabbing Iraq's. Rather, by putting Iraq's tremendous reserves and output back on the market, Saudi and OPEC influence are strongly diminished.

2. A demonstration of American potency. We're looking to show the world that the U.S. is able to crush an enemy at will, sending a firm message to North Korea, et al.

3. Sept. 11 catharthis. It's even arguable that this is intended to strengthen consumer and investor confidence, and hence is a kind of economic stimulus.

3. The 2004 election. A Bush win in Iraq will shore up his approval ratings.

Looking at these likely causes, it's easy to understand why people don't trust our motives even while most probably agree that a world—and an Iraq—without Saddam is a better one for everybody.

11:02:23 AM