Josh Rushing, former U.S. marine, joins Al Jazeera International

A 14-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps who held the ranks private through to captain, Josh gained prominence as a central figure in the major motion picture documentary "Control Room", which chronicles his struggles as the United States military's lead spokesperson to the Arab world during the invasion of Iraq.

Josh's outspoken and conscientious nature in this sensitive role, his conflicts with the Pentagon and his subsequent resignation from the Marines, as well his regular appearances as a fresh, non-partisan, critical voice in broadcast and print media have made him among the most recognisable young media voices today.

Al Jazeera International, headquartered in Doha -Qatar, aims to broadcast globally at the end of the 1st quarter of 2006, from broadcasting centres in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London, and Washington D.C. The channel will be supported by dozens of news bureaux worldwide. Josh will be based in Washington D.C. and his actual role with the channel will be confirmed closer to launch.

"In a time when American media has become so nationalised, I'm excited about joining an organisation that truly wants to be a source of global information," Josh said. "I witnessed during the war how the U.S. media was co-opted by the U.S. government's messaging. I am proud to be part of a news network that believes in the power of the un-spun truth."

Nigel Parsons, Managing Director, Al Jazeera International, said, "Having Josh Rushing on board is important to our mission of bringing the world a fresh perspective on global news. Josh believes in truth of journalism and understands the importance, as well as the consequences, of providing news from all sides of the issue, a core value of the channel."