Kravitz released the track on the internet

Kravitz recorded the song - We Want Peace - with popular Iraqi singer Kadim Al Sahir in Miami last week.

The pair released the track on Tuesday on the website of Rock the Vote - a national organisation which encourages young people to become involved in politics.

Kravitz said he had chosen to link up with Rock the Vote "because of its strong stance with young people as defenders of free expression".

He joins a growing list of recording artists releasing protest songs directly to the internet to bypass a cautious radio market.

REM, the Beastie Boys, John Mellencamp and former Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha have all released anti-war songs via the internet in recent weeks.

In the UK, ex-Clash guitarist Mick Jones has also made an anti-war song - the first track he has recorded in ten years.

He teamed up with former Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik member Tony James for the song Why Do Men Fight?

Drop in airplay

US radio stations have been cautious about playing anti-war artists.

Earlier this month, country music superstars the Dixie Chicks were hit by a nearly 30% drop in airplay on US country music stations after they criticised President Bush's war plans in Iraq.

Kravitz's song features Palestinian musician Simon Shaheen on strings and Lebanese artist Jamey Hadded on percussion.

The star is currently signed to Virgin Records, but the label had no participation in the single.