Cornered

Sorry, did I miss something? A war, perhaps? This impartial observer is concerned that far too much chicken-counting is going on at the moment. Not one serviceman immolated by friendly fire, not one Iraqi diaper factory neutralised by Tomahawks, yet we'realready in there pitching our visions of apost-Saddam paradise. Oil-sodden tiger economy? Sun-blessed constitutional monarchy? Or maybe a genteel social democracy on the Swedish model? (``I'm told the soused herring is reliable here, Achmed.")