Control Room: Al Jazeera and the Iraq War

At its most basic level, Control Room is a film about the Arab satellite TV station Al Jazeera during the early stages of the Iraq War. It examines questions of objectivity, censorship, and a variety of other journalistic issues that are faced by all media outlets, regardless of their national or ethnic origin. Beneath its surface and subject matter, Control Room is an exploration of humanity and human nature in times of war. It challenges the viewer's preconceptions, not only regarding Al-Jazeera and the Iraq War, but about him- or herself as well.

As a documentary film, Control Room is clearly intended to challenge the common assumption that Al-Jazeera is nothing more than a source of rabidly anti-American propaganda. This it does very well. While it certainly shows footage and covers events that American and other Western governments would prefer to pass unnoticed by both the media and the public (thus accounting for their regular denunciations of the station), it does so in such a way that garners criticism from an array of sources. The film notes that many Arab governments have banned Al-Jazeera (even Saddam Hussein's regime demanded that it stop spreading "Western propaganda" during the US-led invasion of Iraq).

As a work of art, Control Room aims to illustrate the horrors of war-for all parties. It shows the Al-Jazeera footage of captured and dead American soldiers, as well as the resulting series of condemnations from the American government. Even more compelling, though, is the shot of an Al-Jazeera reporter as he watches the footage. Contrary to what some might expect, he reacts to the graphic scenes the same way as most Americans would: with disgust, sympathy, and sadness.

Control Room reminds us that world events do not just happen; they happen to real people who have (or had) lives and families and dreams of their own. Just as importantly, it reminds us that the journalists who cover those events are real people as well, each with his or her own emotions and biases and perceptions. Most of all, it reminds us that no matter what country we live in, we are all real people too. It reminds us that no matter whose "side" we are on, there is nothing wrong with considering the plight and perspectives of all "sides," nor with grieving for the innocent victims of violence.