22 JANUARY 2003
As the military build-up continues in the Middle East, showbiz stars on both sides of the Atlantic have been voicing their opposition to a war in Iraq.

Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Samuel L Jackson and Kim Basinger recently signed a letter petitioning George Bush not to invade the country. And now George Clooney has joined the chorus of disapproval, saying his namesake in the White House is running the government "like The Sopranos".

"Are we going to try and talk to Saddam Hussein...without jumping in and killing people first?" asked the actor. "I don't believe we're going to wait until the last resort to do it. That's what bothers me."

Robert Redford meanwhile said that the government had some explaining to do. "There's clearly a rising swell demanding answers," he said. "There's a lot of attitude, but not much policy coming to the American people to tell them how they should know what to do."

Across the pond in London, Blur frontman Damon Albarn led British stars in an anti-war protest. He was joined by Bianca Jagger, playwright Harold Pinter and Robert del Naja of Massive Attack.

"I don't think we have been consulted as a democracy. It is the wrong war," said Damon. "It's been an uphill battle getting other British singers out, but we are working on them and others will join us," explained the singer.

Other stars who have questioned the proposed invasion of Iraq include Martin Sheen, Jessica Lange, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne and veteran director Martin Scorsese.