wausfpp.org

New York Times Editorial Desk, November 22 2005

Text Source

New York Times Editorial Desk. "The Battle Against Fraud." New York Times (www.nytimes.com. November 22 2005): http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/22/opinion/22tue2.html.

Message Unit 1 - an example of patriotized history

core myths

unpatriotized history:

The US project for Iraq is a crime.

Ordinarily, we do not accuse people of committing a crime in a criminal way. In addition to being a foreign dictatorship (rule by a body that is not elected by the people over whom it rules), enforced by killing the nonsubmitting citizens, the US project for Iraq, including "the reconstruction," is a crime of theft, because it has the US government making the decisions over what happens to the property of Iraq. No sane person would accuse someone of committing a theft in a way that involves theft.

message (of patriotized history):

Some crimes have been committed during the carrying out of the US project for Iraq.

patriotic change (of history)

technique:

transparent redefinition

text:

It's sad just how predictable it was that the reconstruction of Iraq would be marred by fraud, dishonesty and profiteering.

Message Unit 2 - an example of patriotized history

core myths

unpatriotized history:

The US is not the legal authority in Iraq, but a foreign attacker engaged in illegal conquest of someone else's country.

message (of patriotized history):

While the US was exercising its ordinary, legal authority, some of its personnel may have done something illegal, extraordinary.

patriotic change (of history)

technique:

transparent redefinition

text:

Last week Robert Stein Jr. was charged in federal court with a slew of crimes allegedly committed while he was a financial officer for the American occupation authority in Iraq.

Message Unit 3 - an example of patriotized history

core myths

unpatriotized history:

Democracy demands that the US government be held accountable to the Iraqi people for its actions in Iraq.

message (of patriotized history):

Democracy demands that the US government be held accountable to the American people for its actions in Iraq.

patriotic change (of history)

technique:

transparent redefinition

text:

There must be accountability higher up for this clearly bad judgment. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning. Officials at the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction say they are pursuing 50 more cases and have already referred at least six more to prosecutors.

Message Unit 4 - an example of patriotized history

core myths

unpatriotized history:

The US is in Iraq to harm the Iraqis.

message (of patriotized history):

The US is not in Iraq to harm the Iraqis.

patriotic change (of history)

technique:

transparent redefinition

text:

New Orleans deserves better than what Karbala got.

Introduction - Contact - Site Map - Copyright © 2005 (click for details) - last published 2007-07-12