By now, most of you have heard your fill of cliches about the fog of war -- the fact that when bullets and bombs begin to fly, facts become scarce.

A related phenomenon is the fog of war coverage. For the first time, we are seeing combat operations unfold in real time -- infantry divisions advancing through the desert; bombs exploding in the heart of Baghdad. Of course, we're not getting a full picture of the campaign, only isolated fragments of a much larger mosaic.

The U.S. and its allies have mounted the most complex military operation in history, with literally thousands of targets and troops dispersed over a vast area. For every bomb that has hit Baghdad in the last 24 hours, 100 others fell elsewhere.

While the swift and advances and relatively small number of civilian and allied casualties might create a sense of euphoria, remember that this is war, packed with unexpected advances and reverses. The real-time coverage will reveal this, but it promises also to give everyone a closer look at the most formidable weapon ever constructed -- the American soldier.

Our forces fight with unparalleled courage and ferocity, but they also show unprecedented charity toward vanquished foes and liberated citizens. Embedded journalists seem to have discovered the secret already.

As we keep a watchful eye on the screens, we shouldn't miss a chance to see just how our forces operate and why they make us not only free, but proud.