  In this note we propose to show that the K\"ahler-Ricci flow fits naturally
within the context of the Minimal Model Program for projective varieties. In
particular we show that the flow detects, in finite time, the contraction
theorem of any extremal ray and we analyze the singularities of the metric in
the case of divisorial contractions for varieties of general type. In case one
has a smooth minimal model of general type (i.e., the canonical bundle is nef
and big), we show infinite time existence and analyze the singularities.
