In his last novel, Saddam describes himself as Salim, plotting the resistance movement to drive out Hescel, the Jewish leader, from his country. Jack Fairweather reports from Baghdad.
When Salim's bride asks him if he was prepared to drive out the demon Sheikh \, Salim says: "The intention and power are available. I have made my evaluation of the demon. I am sure of victory against those dogs."
Salim's defeat of Hescel and his Roman allies is described. Saddam's army is lying in wait to meet the Roman charge somewhere in Iraq.
The king of the Romans gives his orders to begin the charge. They had expected to find Salim's army unarmed, but they find instead the men with weapons and even the women prepared to fight.
The first line of Salim's army shoot at the Roman riders with arrows. When the Roman riders fall down the women of the tribe beat them with sticks or kill them with swords. The people are shouting "allah wa'abar".
"Salim took off his shirt and he freed his long hair. He was so strong. He was fighting the Romans like a hawk. He was riding a white horse that he called Nisr [meaning hawk]. He was shouting: 'Allah Waqbar. Let the debased be debased, and let Hescel and the Roman dogs be debased. Long live the Arabs and long live Islam. Damn the pagans'."
Salim is carrying one sword and his colleagues are giving him another sword when the first is broken. The Romans run away as Salim gets close to them.
When his enemies' swords are broken he orders his colleagues to give them a fresh sword so that they can continue fighting. This was an honorary custom gained from his grandfathers that had stuck with him.
Salim's bride is watching him fight the Romans and thinks he is very brave.
Following the Romans' rout from Iraq, Hescel and the Roman king return to their own country to find the twin towers of the Roman capital on fire.
Hescel is beating his face and saying "everything I've collected is gone".
One of the Romans laughs at Hescel and advises him: "Try building another two towers and sell one and rent the other to the Roman king! Both you and the Roman king will rot in hell."
"Arabs had set the towers on fire. How adventurous they are when they become nervous!"
The Roman watches the blaze and wonders who had done it.
The king says: "Our enemies are great in numbers." Hescel answers no: "Such a fedeyeen attack could only be carried out by the Arabs."
Hescel and the Roman leader run away after because they had lost all their power and money.
The novel finishes with two verses of the Koran in which hundreds of little birds defeat a powerful king.
These are recited by Salim as he weeps with joy.