Director Scorsese Latest Celeb Against Iraq War

[Jacob Levich <jlevich@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

washingtonpost.com
Director Scorsese Latest Celeb Against Iraq War

Reuters
Thursday, January 9, 2003; 1:10 PM
LONDON (Reuters) - Film director Martin Scorsese took time out from 
promoting his latest movie "Gangs of New York" on Thursday to add his name 
to a growing list of celebrities opposing a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq.
"One hopes that this kind of war can be done diplomatically, with 
intelligence rather than wiping out a lot of innocent civilians," Scorsese 
told BBC radio.
In doing so, the creator of such violent epics as "Taxi Driver" and 
"GoodFellas" joined the swelling ranks of celebrities who have voiced 
opposition to any attack.
President Bush has threatened war to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 
if Baghdad fails to abandon his alleged doomsday arsenal, which Iraq denies 
having.
British singer George Michael made his opinion felt last year with a video 
portraying President Bush as a cowboy, while other dissidents include 
singer Barbra Streisand and Hollywood stars Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.
Scorsese is currently riding high on a wave of critical acclaim for his 
latest film which portrays gang warfare in 19th century Manhattan and took 
30 years from conception to its U.S. launch in December.
"There are a lot of Americans who also feel that a lot of this (war talk) 
is economic," he said in London where he attended the premier of "Gangs." 
"Part of this has to do with the oil."
Scorsese also appeared to suggest that the U.S. was heavy-handed in the way 
it approached other cultures.
"I think it really has to come down to respecting how other people live," 
he said. "There's got to be ways this can be worked out diplomatically, 
there simply has to be."
© 2003 Reuters
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A33406-2003Jan9?language=printer



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