The legality of the US-led invasion of Iraq is an issue that spawns instant opinions. At a debate sponsored by the Media Society last week at the Imperial War Museum in London &150; entitled 'Authors take sides on Iraq' &150; leading writers including Harold Pinter, Beryl Bainbridge and Tony Benn pitched in with their views. Joining them were a couple of hacks, including Sir John Keegan and Melanie Phillips &150; the former being the Daily Telegraph's defence editor and the latter being the Daily Mail's all-purpose commentator. Sir John got the ball rolling early by suggesting that debate over the legality of the war was a pointless distraction for the amusement of academic international law experts only. There was much chuntering in the audience &150; presumably from the international law experts &150; causing Ms Phillips to jump to Sir John's aid. The war in Iraq was legal, she proclaimed adamantly. 'The Americans believed that at the time, Tony Blair believed that at the time, and so did I.' Well, that's all right, then.