Control Room - a video by Al Jazeera - Assignment Example

Control Room - a video by Al Jazeera “Control Room” is a video documentary published by the Al Jazeera media network. It was all about the news coverage of the network during the onset and the progress of the conflict between the US and Iraq which led to an offensive military action due to the unwillingness of Saddam Hussein’s regime to allow the US to conduct inspections that will prove the absence of weapons of mass destruction in the country. Al Jazeera, being an Arab network, took the liberty to broadcast up-to-date news on the catastrophic consequences that resulted from the bombing of Iraqi cities.

The channel depicted the massive casualties of innocent people, which was seen as detrimental or somehow derogatory to US operations. Also, the documentary outlined alleged propagandas that America has done to veer people’s attention away from casualties of war and focus on the success of the allied forces in ousting Saddam’s regime. Based on the video documentary, it is primarily aimed to provide the world, especially their Arab fellows, a clear view of the events that have transpired during the war.

It presented war-related issues and the sentiments that the Iraqi people had. Though at some point the video delivers point-of-views that might somehow be biased in nature since they are catering their network to their Arab viewers, they remained keen on providing an overview of the war at the perspective of the Iraqi people and the Arabs. Media is truly a powerful tool that can significantly contribute to the overall perspective of an individual on certain issues. For instance, members of the Al Jazeera has shown an event wherein the US allegedly done a publicity stunt to drive away attention from three incidents involving the death of media personnel to US airstrikes.

One of the most notable and commendable action that Al Jazeera took was its courage to go against the tide of all other media coverage during the war. Correspondents have been vigilant in providing its viewers the actual events that Iraqi people are experiencing; their fear, their pain, and their struggle. However, the video also takes a direct attack on the credibility of the network on issues since some viewers may perceive their actions during the war Iraq are just propagandas to further promote conflicts between the Middle East and the US.

In addition, Kirkpatrick’s article on the alleged collusion of the Al Jazeera top news director with a US official to take down two images which a involved a woman and a child who were affected by the on-going war that time. It was clearly conveyed in the video that with any kind of war, there will be deaths of innocent children, men and women; as if there is very little, or nearly absent, consideration on the lives that will be lost, families that will be broken, and communities that will have to start again from scratch after the war has ended.

At one point in the video, unrest and disorder have consumed the Baghdad days after the downfall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. There were widespread looting and crimes since there was no government or police power that was in place. It is still difficult to know for sure if the democracy and the liberation that the Americans wanted Iraqi citizens to have was worth the lives of tens of thousands that had fallen during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Works citedControl Room. Jehane Noujaim. Magnolia, 2004. Film. Kirkpatrick, David D.

“After Disclosures by WikiLeaks, Al Jazeera Replaces Its Top News Director.” The New York Times. New York Times, 20 Sept. 2011. Web. 20 Aug. 2014Shanker, Thom and David E. Sanger. “A NATION CHALLENGED: THE MILITARY; U.S. Envisions Blueprint on Envisions Blueprint on Iraq Including Big Invasion Next Year.” The New York Times. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2002. Web. 20 Aug. 2014