In class on Tuesday we watched a documentary called “Control Room.” The film highlighted the medias influence and impact on the Iraq war. George Bush declared war on March 19th, 2003. Which would make this past march 7 years. I myself have checked out mentally on this war. I was in high school when the war started and relied heavily on the media to keep me updated on what was happening.
The film starts out with various news people and political leaders agreeing upon the statement “ You cant wage a war with out propaganda.” Though Americans seem to flip flop on that statement throughout the film there actions speak boldly in one direction. First American soldiers say “We are trying to deliver the facts” then they say its important to keep moral up so of course we cannot show everything. I.e. Dead American soldiers. Next, they speak out against Al-Jazeera claiming them to be “The mouth piece of Osama bin laden.”
If you’re like me and have a very limited vocabulary on the Iraq war u may have wondered what Al-Jazeera is. Al-Jazeera is an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV station that has been portrayed as very controversial and yes also “The mouth piece of Osama bin laden.” The film explains that this label was initially put on them for showing dead bodies of American soldiers. Claiming this action to be “Anti-American.” Now if you’re like me you can’t help to have a confused look stream across your face.
Lets see if I’m understanding this right. Because Al-Jazeera showed the destruction of the war and its effect on people and children Americans felt that to label that choice of filming would be “Anti-American.” I think that choice of filming would be honest and Americans may have felt that our country would not have been in support of the war if they had bombarded Americans with these images. Basically us (Americans) looking bad was not an option. Kind of high school to me. I don’t know about you but If I was in war with someone I don’t know if I would expect anyone to not be Anti Valentina who wasn’t on my team. Why would you be rooting for the opposing side? The Americans argument against Al-Jazeera I think it is a weak weak argument. However, I think it is also a very smart power play for the Americans to spin the news and say that Al-Jazeera is horrible news ,that it is only out to make us look bad so don’t watch it. Ensuring that Americans would not have to see these images.
The majority of “Control Room” took place in an area where the various news groups (CNN, MSNBC, BBC and Al-Jazeera.) were stationed. All of the news officials had a lot of respect from Al-Jazeera so I have to wonder IF they were so Anti-American and extremists I think that educated journalists would catch onto this. In a statement by the head press soldier he explained why a news station would want to promote its host country a certain way. He gave an example about how fox news chooses its stories to promote Patriotism with typically the republican frame of mind. This same soldier was asked If American news stations bury leads and pick and choose stories for there audience why is it that Al-Jazeera cannot produce news to cater to there audience. His reply was that “it was Anti-American, and he strongly disagreed.”
Looking at how the actual filming portrays a certain stance on the war is very interesting. When we are all watching tv especially the news, we are caught up in the stories and images that we see but hardly stop to think “why were seeing these particular scenes and not others.” I think people rely on the news to produce the truth and hardly question if it is all factual.
American news focuses on Iraqi land settings and highlights the “accomplishments” of the war. They typically use a lot of long shots that show the setting of the area to give viewers a public scope of the war. Also, American news uses close ups on American soldiers, giving them a heroic and intimate feel. I think the way in which they film is a sign that the American view of war is based on keeping the heroic image impressed in our brains. Ensuring the country that we are there for liberation and the soldiers are heroes for our country.
The Al-Jazeera point of view is poignant. Lots and lots of close-ups. Children in the hospital who could barely speak, lots of blood, dead American soldiers, and dead Iraqi people. Their take on the war could definitely be portrayed as how the war is effecting all the people in death. Under Sadam’s rule the people were oppressed but now with this war that was suppose to save them many many have died. I think that it is clear with the way they film that they want people to have a reaction. Whether they agree or disagree they want the shots to be intimate so that a deep emotion can be felt. I think that their intentions when filming is to show not what the war was intended to be but what the war is.
This film made me speechless. A lot of the images I have never seen before. In the 7 years this war has been going on I never once saw the stacked bodies of people and children, the dead American soldiers, and the honest opinion of the other side. I think that by not allowing Americans to see all sides of the story opens the door for conspiracy theories and makes people question the truth of there own country. I think that a CNN News Correspondent said it best, “It feels like there is an effort to manage the news in an unmanageable situation.”
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