War Situations in Control Room by Jehane Noujaim - Movie Review Example

Order 448951 Topic: control room Introduction: In any war, the first casualty is the truth. Through the various TV channels, newspapers, and periodicals you get not exactly news but views. The objective of the parties fighting the war is to win the war, no matter how one wins. The worst human tendencies come to the fore. In war, there are two strongly opposing points of views those of parties directly involved in the war and many ancillary points of view of those who watch the war from the sidelines. In retrospect war situations make excellent movies. ‘Control Room’ is one such movie. Since one of the parties to the war was a super power, its consequences on world politics and economy was immense. In war, both parties to the war are right—according to them! The other party is wrong—according to the other! 1. Do you think that the documentary has delivered the message of its theme? War begins, and a series of well-planned statements of lies are broadcasted. The general public has no access to war zones. The freedom of the free press stands restricted. In the ‘Control Room’ the scenes of attack on the Al-Jazeera building are shown. That resulted in the death of a prominent journalist, which indicates that the reporting of the TV Channel was not to the liking of the Allied Forces. In such a context the statement by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld declared in the early stages of the Iraq War, Truth ultimately finds its way to peoples eyes and ears and hearts, is a platitude. Just as a novel will always tell something about the author, a documentary, especially a war documentary, will tell what is going on in the mind of the producer/director. Egyptian-born, Harvard-educated director Jehane Noujaim cannot escape this predicament. This is not an objective documentary. It is the voice of western world. The movie paints greatness of the Allied Forces, especially the US. If it can be concluded that the Arab Cause is the theme of the documentary, it has delivered the goods indirectly! Obviously in a documentary of 85 minutes, the entire gamut of the conflict between the Iraq and USA cannot be captured. What is given in the documentary is just a capsule. Majority of the Iraqis will not appreciate the savage killing in the war and the eventual occupation of their territory by the Allied Forces whereas the American Government has every justification for the declaration of war against Iraq. In short, there can never be a truly unbiased war film. Analyze Donald Rumsfeld’s statement about Al Jazeera, We are dealing with people who are willing to lie to the world to make their case. But the point to be considered is who is lying to whom? 2. To what extent the documentary has changed my perception of the war in Iraq? The documentary has left some temporary imprints in the curtain of my mind but the basic perception about the war remains the same. I am totally unhappy to see the death and devastation and the loss or precious young lives of soldiers and civilians. For the living, it is war of their lifetime to come to terms with the loss of their dear and near ones. Without doubt, this is a war fought on political premises. Except the top bureaucracy and military leaders of America and Iraq, no one can come to a conclusion as to the real intent of the war. In the world political scene, many secrets and lies are hidden; and this war was fought to achieve that hidden agenda. One realizes about the bunch of unremitting lies in the official body counts, by both the sides involved in the war. This war has been a highly undesirable event. Thank God, Iraq is not a nuclear power. Otherwise, doomsday for the world is an attainable reality, when nuclear weapons are used in war. 3. Did US Marine Captain, Josh Rushing, make a reliable and convincing case of the US intervention in Iraq? Marine Captain, Josh Rushing has to project the American viewpoint of the war. He is not a civilian press reporter to offer free comments of his choice. With the stamp of army discipline, he has to discharge his duties within the decided framework. The coalition press information is carefully controlled. It has to think of its interest from several angles, before releasing any information to the press. Rushing gives truth in the documentary as perceived by him, but the underlying fact is that he has to deliver the message of Pentagon. He has performed his job admirably, with the touch of human element that has universal appeal in all war situations. For example he confesses, “Our rule back here is to not spin, but sometimes we catch ourselves doing a little spin on a story. You cant help it.” On general suffering of the army personnel and the people and dead American soldiers, he confesses, "It makes me hate war." Whether you are an Iraqi or an American, his observations pierce one’s heart. 4. Critically identify the strengths and weaknesses of the video. The movie is strong in bits and parts. There cannot be an authentic and substantive strength in a war documentary done with the viewpoint of propaganda, by the interested party in the war. According to me it provides one-sided information. ‘Control Room’ is also aimed to hit at the Arab news network al Jazeera. The American perspective has been accomplished. Some hidden hand controlled the direction of Josh Rushing. Most of the Americans and Arabs knew secretive style of functioning of Bush Administration. Even after the conclusion of the war, there are a few takers for the platitudes of Bush that the war is the continuation of the struggle against terrorism and Iraq is in possession of secret nuclear capability. Iraq has been projected as the ultimate enemy of the policies and actions of USA. Al Jazeera is projected by Donald Rumsfeld as if it is the spokesperson of the terrorist outfits, enemy of freedom, an outright propagandist etc. The rhetorical Bush administration succeeded in fooling the world opinion for some time, as for the inevitability of invading Iraq and taking possession of its territories. Shots that imply propaganda and those which depict one-sided views can clearly be identified. Americans visualize a typical picture about the terrorists, their outfits, style of conversation etc. Iraqis sit around and discuss the war situation, about self protection and taking care of the family and children. ‘Control Room’ camera takes a sweep on the Iraqi men and women glued to the news channels, worried about their safety. In one important scene an Iraqi citizen criticizes Saddam Hussein, but this one is special criticism. It is out of frustration, but indicates his absolute loyalty to Saddam. This man poses a question to the dictator, why he did not take enough measures to protect himself. He has nothing to say about the brutality of Saddam Hussein but blames him for allowing the Americans to take over. The video depicts the importance the Americans attach to the news outlets and the role of the press in shaping public opinion. Arab news outlets were systematically and urgently destroyed. Three attacks were carried out in one day. The allegation was, they were assisting the terrorist propaganda. America was in total control of the war news as to what the world should know about the war and what it should not know. Scenes of perfect text-book military propaganda are shown in the video. No doubt, some Iraqis rejoice at the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. Some of the shots are clearly stage-managed for posterity and for showing in the military academies of America, to prepare the mind of the future army officers. Three of such shots are worth mentioning. i) American soldiers in conversation with the men who were working for al Jazeera ii) people celebrating when Saddam Hussein’s statue was brought down by the American military crane iii) A soldier forcefully commenting that nation of Iraq was as well responsible for the chaos following the fall of Saddam Hussein. In the pre-war days, al-Jazeera had the reputation for impartial news coverage, but the American war propaganda machinery painted it as the devil-incarnation of the terrorists. In fine, ‘Control Room’ is a war-movie, but not the movie about the war! It produces some sparks to kindle a full-fledged debate about the conduct of Iraq War by America. In due course of time, when things normalize in Iraq, and when the Allied Forces make the final withdrawal, and when a Government takes over in Iraq, free from foreign influence, a rejoinder to ‘Control Room’ is bound to happen. As it is ‘Control Room’ is neither a strong movie nor a weak movie-- it is a movie made to serve the American interests. ************** Works Cited: Control Room (2004) Control Room -- A documentary on perception of the United State’s war with Iraq, ... Retrieved on June 29, 2010 Read More