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Glanz (NYT), November 5 2005

Text Source

Glanz, James. "U.S. Should Repay Millions to Iraq, a U.N. Audit Finds." New York Times (www.nytimes.com. November 5 2005): http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/05/international/middleeast/05reconstruct.html.

Message Unit 1 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US project is a misappropriation of funds that belong to the Iraqis.
message (of patriotized history): While carrying out the US project with Iraq's money, some US companies misappropriated funds that belong to the Iraqis.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: The work was paid for with Iraqi oil proceeds, but the board said it was either carried out at inflated prices or done poorly.

Message Unit 2 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US is the illegal attacker in Iraq, not the legal authority. According to the UN's own charter, one country is not allowed to conquer another or rule its people, and the UN is supposed to oppose this kind of crime, not make the crime the authority.
message (of patriotized history): It is normal and legal that the US be in charge in Iraq, and that the UN make "recommendations" to the US, in Iraq.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: An auditing board sponsored by the United Nations recommended yesterday that the United States repay

Message Unit 3 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: Ordinarily, the fact that a country's leader was overthrown in an illegal invasion does not mean that it wasn't really the government of that country.The UN is not treating the US as the equal of other countries under law, but is giving it huge and illegal authority over other people's countries.
message (of patriotized history): Saddam Hussein's was not really the government of Iraq; he was just some guy.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: The monitoring board, created by the United Nations specifically to oversee the Development Fund - which includes Iraqi oil revenues but also some money seized from Saddam Hussein's government - said because the audits were continuing, it was too early to say how much of the $208 million should ultimately be paid back.

Message Unit 4 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US government's exclusive "authority" that makes everyone else a mere petitioner violates the most basic tenets of the UN charter.
message (of patriotized history): It is normal and legal that the US government be in charge of what happens with Iraq's money.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: Once the audits are completed, said the board member, who asked not to be identified because he did not want to be seen as speaking for the United Nations, the results will give the Iraqi government "the right to go back to K.B.R. and say, 'Look, you've overbilled me on this, this is what you could repay me.'"

Message Unit 5 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: There is considerable evidence for the idea that the US invaded Iraq to control its oil, but this is treated as only a suspicion. Compare this to the treatment of claims by the US that its goal is to free the Iraqis, for which there is massive counterevidence, but which is treated as a fact.
message (of patriotized history): The idea that the US invaded Iraq to control its oil is just a suspicion of some Iraqis.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: But Louay Bahry, a former Iraqi academic who is now at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said the board's findings would stoke suspicions on the street in Iraq, where there had always been fears that the United States invaded the country to control its oil resources.

Message Unit 6 - an example of patriotized history

core myths				unpatriotized history: The US has no authority in Iraq; Iraq is someone else's country. The UN is supposed to be over the US, not under it.
message (of patriotized history): The US has legal authority over Iraq, and it is perfectly normal that the UN be a mere petitioner to the US.		patriotic change (of history)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: The monitoring board authority extends only to making recommendations on any reimbursement. It would be up to the United States government to decide whether to make the payments, and who should make them.

Message Unit 7 - an example of patriotized morality

core position: pro-US				unpatriotized position: Ordinarily, we say that the aggressor's actions that harm the victims are bad because they harm the victims, not because they harm the aggressor.
message (of patriotized morality): US actions that harm Iraqis are bad if they harm the US.		patriotic change (of morality)
technique: transparent redefinition
text: "Something like this will be caught in the Iraqi press and be discussed by the Iraqi general public and will leave a very bad taste in the mouth of the Iraqis," Mr. Bahry said. "It will increase the hostility towards the United States."

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