Stars come out against Bush's war

LOS ANGELES, - More than 100 celebrities, including Kim Basinger, Matt Damon, Ethan Hawke, Samuel L. Jackson and Jessica Lange, have urged American President George W. Bush to avoid war with Iraq.

The plea is made in a letter that will be made public today at a press conference hosted by former MASH star Mike Farrell, who is co-founder of a new group called Artistes United To Win Without War.

President Bush has threatened to take military action against Iraq, accusing it of having weapons of mass destruction that could be used against the US or its allies.

United Nations inspectors are in Iraq searching for evidence of such weapons.

The letter was also signed by retired admiral Eugene Carroll Jr and former US ambassador to Iraq Edward Peck.

- REUTERS

Herald feature: Iraq