A quarter-century ago, footage of the mortally wounded Twin Towers hypnotized viewers the world over. Many felt compelled to watch this lurid spectacle again and again and again, absorbed by the thrill of disaster. Some wept, others fell silent, and still others suffered breakdowns. What seemed like a sci-fi Hollywood preview left them haunted. But also bleakly entertained. Not surprisingly, the American bombing of Baghdad had a similar effect, as if to solidify the 1960s quip, “the revolution will be televised.” Voyeurism, in sex and violence, is as old as moving pictures. Yet the Iran war, played out in a gaming age, is upping the ante. There is no question who will win this war, but when the Israeli military chief of staff speaks of “surprises ahead,” real war takes on an in-game feel. All is abstract and can be seemingly controlled through a console. Imagine a “surprises ahead” game in which you could both destroy and rebuild the Twin Towers, as well as place bets on, if not concoct, the next attack. September 11th viewers had no such luxury. So it is that this war, more than any before it, speaks to an age mesmerized by its own dark amusements, falling skyscrapers its 21st-century snuff.