Man of war

Either way, the results are enlightening for those of us who prefer to catch up on the news from the safety of our homes rather than the battle-scarred streets of Iraq.

The Fall Of Baghdad is the result -- a book which looks deep into the soul of post-Gulf War Iraq, and watches the current crisis unfolding through the eyes of the people who live there.

And while Jon is in no doubt that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, he despairs of the current situation. He says: "They have made Iraq the central battlefield for this war on terrorism. But it's a no win situation."

Being an American doesn't seem to have hindered his progress.

"It's a privilege and a curse because while America is the most powerful nation on earth, I can see us as others do. Luckily the Iraqis in particular are less likely to stereotype people -- they know the difference between people and policies," he says.

Jon has made a career of highlighting the devastation America has caused around the world, from its anti-guerilla programmes in South America to Cuba's embargo.

Originally in Iraq to report for The New Yorker, the 48-year-old's greatest gift is his impartiality, his ability to blend into the community and see events from its point of view, even in a closed society like Iraq.

And once Jon's reports started circulating, publishers approached him to write a book and he sat down and wrote The Fall Of Baghdad.

"I like feeling like part of history, watching it unfold. I go where I can be the most useful but I'm only interested in the human side," he says.

"So I try to keep a human point of view alive. I want readers to know there is another people with faces, names, lives, children and favourite foods, and be as objective as possible. The Iraqis' extreme views are part of the problem even if they are unpalatable and there are so many points of view and versions of events.

"I want the reader to be confused, because it is confusing but it is an accurate reflection of Iraq. It's no coincidence that Iraq was the seat of the Tower of Babel," he jokes.

But having written Baghdad's story, the war continues. "I'm very aware that it's an ongoing story but it's merely a matter of adding pages because the violence has now become another white noise."

So did Jon foresee the problems Bush and Blair are encountering now?

"I had no idea they would mishandle it to this degree. They didn't listen to the people who warned them about occupying with a military presence, especially after failing in Vietnam, so yes -- I have always had a sense of foreboding."

Yet while Jon experiences life and death situations for six months of the year, he's also happily married with three children and lives by the sea in Dorset.

But surely with a wife and small children it's hard to justify such a perilous existence?

"I have to compartmentalise my life. If I was out there worrying about my children I wouldn't be able to do it. It doesn't matter how many times you've done it, it's always scary -- but you take on board your experience and intelligence and a sixth sense.

"You have hunches, although there are always situations you can't control like cross fire and ambushes, so it does get pretty stressful. You just become as calculating as possible and take the minimum risk. You have to have an ear to the ground."

But he also makes sure he keeps a foot planted firmly in both camps. "If I'm away I phone home every day and try to be as interested in what my family is doing on a daily basis as possible but it's not always easy.

"And we go on long holidays. I'm not much good at sitting on the beach, so this summer we travelled around, and before that we went on safari in Africa," he says before admitting that he gets itchy feet if he spends too long in Dorset.

And to ensure that he never brings the war home, he always stops off en route to 'de-stress'.

"I need to unwind and I'm usually pretty ill-tempered wherever I stay. It's just the way I react to coming out.

"Desk clerks and waiters tend to get an earful," he adds, "because you are wound-up even if you don't realise it and hyper sensitive.

"But a lot of the credit goes to my wife of 16 years. If she wasn't able to cope alone it wouldn't work."

Considering his childhood, Jon's vocation can't have come as much of a surprise. "My father was a diplomat so we lived in eight different countries by the age of 18 and I've continued to travel ever since," he says simply.

Jon isn't blind to our Government's faults either. "To start with I thought Tony Blair wanted to save the world, and it was a relief, because Bush is inept at managing his own country, let alone a world war.

"But now I think he's acting for himself rather than the will of the people."

As for Iraq, Jon will keep going back to chart progress but also has an eye on hotspots such as Afghanistan and Cuba.