To do it, though, she's going to have to face down Franklin, the latest and possibly the greatest medal machine from the country that owns the pool.

WSJ: Menu

However, this machine and 19 others will face far more difficult conditions in the race across the Mojave Desert.

BBC: Red Team Sandstorm vehicle

But it may also be because Mr Rumsfeld is halfway through a transformation of America's military, from a lumbering force of infantry and armoured divisions built to face the Soviets into a lighter, faster, supposedly smarter, technology-driven machine for the wars of tomorrow.

ECONOMIST: Bush makes room for Rice | The