Adel Darwish is a commentator on Middle East affairs who first met Saddam Hussein in 1972. He was Middle East correspondent for the Independent for a decade, and now contributes regularly to a number of British newspapers. His books include Unholy Babylon: the secret history of Saddam's war (1990), Water Wars (1995) and Between the Quill and the Sword: Islamic fundamentalism and secret diplomacy (1985).