thedrifter
06-25-04, 11:03 AM
A QUESTION OF HONOR (Marine Reassigned after his appearance in an Al-Jazeera film)
Fort Worth Star Telegram ^ | 06/25/2004 | Pete Alfano
When the briefing ended, Hassan Ibrahim, a reporter from the Arab network Al-Jazeera, invited Lt. Josh Rushing, a public affairs officer in the U.S. Marines Corps, to dinner off base. Rushing said he'd like to go but would have to ask permission first.
He and Ibrahim shook hands.
The scene at Central Command in Doha, Qatar, appeared near the end of the documentary Control Room, a behind-the-scenes look at coverage of the war in Iraq by Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite TV network. The film will be shown today through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
As a media liaison to Al-Jazeera, Rushing, who is from Lewisville, is seen briefing reporters throughout the 86-minute film. He is personable and engaging, far different than any wooden caricature of a military representative.
"I like the way he presented the Marine Corps," said Rushing's father, Gayland Rushing. "He's a very patriotic person. You wouldn't believe how proud we are."
The Marines Corps and the Pentagon, however, apparently don't share Gayland Rushing's view. Josh Rushing, who is now a captain, has been ordered not to give interviews about his role in the documentary.
He has been reassigned to the Marines' Motion Picture/Television Liaison office in Hollywood and plans to leave the Corps on Oct. 1, after 14 years.
"Josh is pretty disappointed in the Marine Corps' response," said his wife, Paige Rushing. "He feels his first amendment rights have been violated. He has represented the Corps well under many circumstances and always had the Marine Corps' interest at heart.
"He believes his loyalty and his character have been questioned. My husband is in the Corps today because he feels very strongly he should serve his country. He believes in what our country represents and is willing to sacrifice his life for those ideas.
"He's disheartened."
In response, the Marines issued only an e-mail statement to the Star-Telegram, attributed to Maj. Douglas Powell, director, media branch of Marine Corps public affairs at the Pentagon.
"When Capt. Rushing was supporting the documentary, he was working for Central Command," Powell said. "He is no longer serving in that capacity and therefore is not available to comment on the documentary."
The Marine Corps officials did not address what may have disturbed them about Rushing's conduct in the film.
Al-Jazeera has been criticized by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, among others, and is accused of distorting events, or presenting a one-sided, anti-American view of the conflict in Iraq.
In the film, Rushing presents the American viewpoint. In one scene, for example, he questions whether Al-Jazeera has reported the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
At another point, when Al-Jazeera reporters say that U.S. bombs and missiles are killing civilians, Rushing said that the use of "smart" or precision bombs, as he called them, is minimizing civilian casualties. The United States, he said, could have used less expensive weapons and just "carpet bombed."
But Rushing is not insensitive to the toll war takes on both sides.
In the film, he said he was troubled by the fact that the images of dead Iraqis he saw on Al-Jazeera did not upset him as much as the images of dead Americans did a day earlier.
"It makes me hate war," Rushing said. "But it doesn't make me believe we can live in a world without war yet."
His father said Rushing is simply recognizing that war is hell for everyone involved.
"But I guess the military is a one-sided coin," he said.
At one point in the film, Rushing compares Al-Jazeera's presentation of the news to the Fox Network, implying bias on the part of each. He says that the responsibility of his generation is for Arabs and Americans to understand one another better.
"I've met so many great Arabs since I've been here," Rushing says at one point.
His wife suggests that the issue may have become a political football perhaps because the documentary was filmed before the victorious march to Baghdad. It was also filmed before the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and before the beheading of Americans and a South Korean by insurgents.
The debut of Fahrenheit 9/11, the Michael Moore movie that criticizes the Bush administration, has added fuel to the political fires.
With that backdrop, Paige Rushing said, the film with her husband "took on a completely different aura."
"It's become so political and relevant," she said, "and it's probably something Josh has had to come to terms with. I just don't think he cares to dehumanize the enemy any longer."
She said that her husband has received favorable reviews from fellow Marines who have seen Control Room.
"One e-mail said he was thankful Josh was over there representing them so well," she said.
But that is of little consolation.
At 31, after spending almost half his life serving his country, Rushing works in an office, in a very unmilitary setting, counting the days until he leaves the service. His family says it's not the way he envisioned ending his military career.
Rushing joined the Marines after graduating from Lewisville High School. He turned down his parents' offer to pay for his education at the University of Texas at Austin after they had already paid for a dorm room.
Instead, Rushing attended UT while on active duty as part of a Marine program. He earned a degree in Greek and ancient civilizations in 1999.
His future, however, may be in Hollywood. Paige Rushing said her husband is creative and is working on a movie script.
He recently wrote one Hollywood ending in his own life when he was reunited with Hassan Ibrahim, who was shown in the documentary inviting him to dinner.
Josh Rushing wasn't able to get permission to dine with the Al-Jazeera reporter at the time.
But they have since talked about old times over drinks in Los Angeles.
'Control Room'
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
• Friday, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Saturday, 5 p.m.
• Sunday, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Writer Chris Vaughn Contributed to This Report. Pete Alfano, (817) 390-7985 palfano@star-telegram.com
Ellie
Fort Worth Star Telegram ^ | 06/25/2004 | Pete Alfano
When the briefing ended, Hassan Ibrahim, a reporter from the Arab network Al-Jazeera, invited Lt. Josh Rushing, a public affairs officer in the U.S. Marines Corps, to dinner off base. Rushing said he'd like to go but would have to ask permission first.
He and Ibrahim shook hands.
The scene at Central Command in Doha, Qatar, appeared near the end of the documentary Control Room, a behind-the-scenes look at coverage of the war in Iraq by Al-Jazeera, the pan-Arab satellite TV network. The film will be shown today through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
As a media liaison to Al-Jazeera, Rushing, who is from Lewisville, is seen briefing reporters throughout the 86-minute film. He is personable and engaging, far different than any wooden caricature of a military representative.
"I like the way he presented the Marine Corps," said Rushing's father, Gayland Rushing. "He's a very patriotic person. You wouldn't believe how proud we are."
The Marines Corps and the Pentagon, however, apparently don't share Gayland Rushing's view. Josh Rushing, who is now a captain, has been ordered not to give interviews about his role in the documentary.
He has been reassigned to the Marines' Motion Picture/Television Liaison office in Hollywood and plans to leave the Corps on Oct. 1, after 14 years.
"Josh is pretty disappointed in the Marine Corps' response," said his wife, Paige Rushing. "He feels his first amendment rights have been violated. He has represented the Corps well under many circumstances and always had the Marine Corps' interest at heart.
"He believes his loyalty and his character have been questioned. My husband is in the Corps today because he feels very strongly he should serve his country. He believes in what our country represents and is willing to sacrifice his life for those ideas.
"He's disheartened."
In response, the Marines issued only an e-mail statement to the Star-Telegram, attributed to Maj. Douglas Powell, director, media branch of Marine Corps public affairs at the Pentagon.
"When Capt. Rushing was supporting the documentary, he was working for Central Command," Powell said. "He is no longer serving in that capacity and therefore is not available to comment on the documentary."
The Marine Corps officials did not address what may have disturbed them about Rushing's conduct in the film.
Al-Jazeera has been criticized by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, among others, and is accused of distorting events, or presenting a one-sided, anti-American view of the conflict in Iraq.
In the film, Rushing presents the American viewpoint. In one scene, for example, he questions whether Al-Jazeera has reported the atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
At another point, when Al-Jazeera reporters say that U.S. bombs and missiles are killing civilians, Rushing said that the use of "smart" or precision bombs, as he called them, is minimizing civilian casualties. The United States, he said, could have used less expensive weapons and just "carpet bombed."
But Rushing is not insensitive to the toll war takes on both sides.
In the film, he said he was troubled by the fact that the images of dead Iraqis he saw on Al-Jazeera did not upset him as much as the images of dead Americans did a day earlier.
"It makes me hate war," Rushing said. "But it doesn't make me believe we can live in a world without war yet."
His father said Rushing is simply recognizing that war is hell for everyone involved.
"But I guess the military is a one-sided coin," he said.
At one point in the film, Rushing compares Al-Jazeera's presentation of the news to the Fox Network, implying bias on the part of each. He says that the responsibility of his generation is for Arabs and Americans to understand one another better.
"I've met so many great Arabs since I've been here," Rushing says at one point.
His wife suggests that the issue may have become a political football perhaps because the documentary was filmed before the victorious march to Baghdad. It was also filmed before the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and before the beheading of Americans and a South Korean by insurgents.
The debut of Fahrenheit 9/11, the Michael Moore movie that criticizes the Bush administration, has added fuel to the political fires.
With that backdrop, Paige Rushing said, the film with her husband "took on a completely different aura."
"It's become so political and relevant," she said, "and it's probably something Josh has had to come to terms with. I just don't think he cares to dehumanize the enemy any longer."
She said that her husband has received favorable reviews from fellow Marines who have seen Control Room.
"One e-mail said he was thankful Josh was over there representing them so well," she said.
But that is of little consolation.
At 31, after spending almost half his life serving his country, Rushing works in an office, in a very unmilitary setting, counting the days until he leaves the service. His family says it's not the way he envisioned ending his military career.
Rushing joined the Marines after graduating from Lewisville High School. He turned down his parents' offer to pay for his education at the University of Texas at Austin after they had already paid for a dorm room.
Instead, Rushing attended UT while on active duty as part of a Marine program. He earned a degree in Greek and ancient civilizations in 1999.
His future, however, may be in Hollywood. Paige Rushing said her husband is creative and is working on a movie script.
He recently wrote one Hollywood ending in his own life when he was reunited with Hassan Ibrahim, who was shown in the documentary inviting him to dinner.
Josh Rushing wasn't able to get permission to dine with the Al-Jazeera reporter at the time.
But they have since talked about old times over drinks in Los Angeles.
'Control Room'
• Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
• Friday, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Saturday, 5 p.m.
• Sunday, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Writer Chris Vaughn Contributed to This Report. Pete Alfano, (817) 390-7985 palfano@star-telegram.com
Ellie