Almost all Iraqis with any previous experience in the intelligence business are Sunni Arab, increasing the risk of penetration of the new intelligence apparatus by the insurgency.

All I do is work, that's all my life is work.

But I think frustration is hilarious. One of my missions is to bring humor into fine art. It's sacred.

First of all I think of puppets as sculpture. They are sculpture that moves. You could label it any way you want, but for me it always starts in my mind as a sculpture.

I practice the artist's golden rule. I wouldn't want somebody telling me how to finish my painting, I'm not going to tell him how to finish his movie or how to shape his movie.

Making art is nothing but risk, always. If it's not risk, it's no good.

Once the cameras rolling or the audience is in the seats, I'm on. I can't help it. I go into a trance.