OF THE REASONS GIVEN for why the United States hasn’t penetrated the anti-American mindset of the Arab and Muslim world, the Arab press has been among the more prominent. One might even say that al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations seem to have done a far better job of using Arab television news stations to communicate their aims. In turn, Arab news stations are perceived here in the United States and elsewhere in the West as little more than propaganda tools. And yet, there is something to be said for the best of the bunch, the most watched and much hated al Jazeera. In her new documentary Control Room, Jehane Noujaim, the Egyptian-born and American educated director of startup.com, tries to say it.

Control Room covers al Jazeera covering the war in Iraq during the length of major military operations from invasion to around the time of the infamous “Mission Accomplished” ship-top photo-op. While this period of news overdrive would seem to be the ideal moment for a close study of the satellite news station in action, in a way it’s rather deceptive, too. The primary subject becomes the actions and words of the United States, while the context of war is lost. Saddam Hussein, the Baathists, and the United Nations all disappear as the narrative focuses simply on the war.