How to Watch the War
Reacting quickly to intelligence that Iraqi leaders were holed up in a bunker, American ships fired nearly 40 cruise missiles from the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, and stealth fighters dropped bombs on the compound shortly after. It was a breathtaking example of coordination and precision. Yet its success remains uncertain, both in terms of how many weapons hit their target and who, if anyone, was killed. The uncertainty underscores how difficult it is to judge the progress of a military campaign in the heat of the action. How will the American public be able to evaluate what it sees and hears as the campaign unfolds?

Although the 1991 gulf war was a real military victory, exaggeration and television portrayals left a misleading impression of the effectiveness of high-tech weapons. This time around it will not be any easier to judge success quickly. Still, there are some benchmarks that can be used to measure how well the campaign progresses.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/21/opinion/21FRI1.html