Mission Al-Jazeera: Build a Bridge, Seek the Truth, Change the World
Rushing, a Texas native and former Marine, is a correspondent forAl Jazeera International, and he is based in Washington, D.C. His purpose here is twofold. He not only wants to dispel many of the myths and prejudices accepted by Americans about the Arab world but also hopes to persuade Americans that they can more effectively convey positive aspects of American culture and American government policies by interacting with molders of Arab opinion such asAl Jazeera. He spent 14 years as a Marine Corps media liaison officer, and he relays the now-familiar biases and misconceptions of Americans about Arabs. What is more interesting and informative are his descriptions of how the Arab world perceives American actions. Although he acknowledges that these perceptions are often distorted, Rushing asserts that American officials aggravate the problem by refusing to engage withAl Jazeera. Unfortunately, Rushing discounts one of the reasons for that refusal, which isAl Jazeera's highly charged, biased reporting. Still, this work is a useful, informative effort to offer a different perspective on the cultural divide between Americans and Arabs.Jay FreemanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved