Brokeback Mountain star Jake Gyllenhaal has dismayed American Gulf War veterans with his comments about their period of service.

The actor, 25, recently joked about the soldier's lack of combat whilst in the desert in 1991 after researching his role in upcoming Gulf movie Jarhead.

He told WENN: "The U.S. soldiers were sent to the desert for 122 days and they sat in the same tent and did nothing, except a little too much masturbating."