Our local art house showed this film over "Going Upriver," a documentary about John Kerry's service in Vietnam in what became a local controversy. As a political liberal, I was somewhat disappointed that occurred, in spite of my own reservativions with Kerry, since that film was not made by as a blanket endorsement or funded by the Kerry cmapaign. But, as a Turkish-American, I could not be more delighted that this film was its' replacement. Directed by an Egyptian-American, this is a revealing film which shows both how the Arab world saw the invasion of Iraq- some thing no one will see on Fox News- and, the restraints that all journalists had to follow while covering it. I think another telling aspect of the film was that it showed an army personnel who had to give our government's take for media in the Arab world as being someone with genuine concerns for the Arab people and not just a mere 'yes-man' which is sadly not indicative of most people in his awkward disposition. I think anyone who sees this film will better understand why people in Istanbul, Cairo, Damascus, Tunis and other parts of the Muslim and Arab world did not trust George W. Bush's intentions for war and why this war will become a greater source of controversy in the region as its' close becomes even more remote and distant. I felt that many Americans celebrated 'victory' way too early, and this film presents yet another reason why we still have a long, long road ahead of us.
Review of Control Room
