THE paperback publication of this new book on the life of Saddam Hussein has been timed to coincide with "crunch" time for the Iraqi dictator, and author Con Coughlin must be praying events don't overtake his work.

His book sets out Saddam's rise from humble beginnings to supreme power - from his first street murder (motivated by politics and family loyalties, a recurring theme) to his bloody semi-public purge of his own Baath party, an episode of macabre theatre his idol Joseph Stalin could scarcely have matched.

Coughlin adopts a relatively non-judgmental approach. He even allows a few positive comments, stressing Saddam's achievement in overcoming his background, and conceding that he tried to appease Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini before launching the disastrous war between the neighbouring states.

On the other hand, we have Saddam's use of mustard and nerve gas in that war, his alleged part in Israel's invasion of Lebanon, his own invasion of Kuwait - the list goes on. Coughlin's foreword also suggests why Saddam rose from low to high priority for George W Bush, and oil doesn't feature in his argument.

Updated: 08:39 Wednesday, March 12, 2003