The use of tenses in news

Ant_222   Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:55 pm GMT
Hello all,

Just wanted you to look at the quotation shown hereunder and let me know whether my explanation of the use of tenses therein is admissible.

«Maliki HAS BEEN CRITICIZED [1] by Washington and leaders of the once-dominant Sunni Arab minority for failing to disarm his Mehdi Army..... Abdul Mahdi Mtiri, a member of the Sadrists' political committee, SAID [2] Iraqi officials HAD PROMISED [3] Darraji would be released..... The United Nations SAYS [4] more than 34,000 civilians were killed in 2006.»

[1]. Indicates an unfinished action: he has been criticized up to the present.

[2]. He said that once in an interview or something. Simple Past.

[3]. Sequence of tenses. The (alleged) promise had been made before he said about it. Past before Past.

[4]. "Says" casts an emphasize on actuality. "Says"="current opinion is". Thus, Present Simple.

Thanks in advance,
Anton.

P.S.: It's not only for the useless jabber we do in our little thread. I am really interested.
Ant_222   Sun Jan 21, 2007 8:53 pm GMT
No hope anyone helps?
Lazar   Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:07 pm GMT
<<No hope anyone helps?>>

I think people might be afraid that this thread could degenerate into a mere extension of...ya know...that other thread. Regardless, as you point out, there is legitimate discussion to be had about tenses.

<<Just wanted you to look at the quotation shown hereunder and let me know whether my explanation of the use of tenses therein is admissible.>>

I think your explanations are very good. If I were asked to explain those tenses, my explanations would probably be pretty much the same.
Ant_222   Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:16 pm GMT
Thank you very much, Lazar.