Often here at dailykos, there is a disconnect between the terror wars, and oil. So I went back in time for a reminder.
From before Dennis decided to run for president:
http://www.alternet.org/...
Obviously Oil
By Rep. Dennis Kucinich, AlterNet. Posted March 11, 2003.
Too hot for D.C.: Shut out by the Washington Post, Congressman Kucinich argues here that invading the world's #2 oil country has to do with, yes, oil.
Editor's Note: Although Dennis Kucinich was aggressively attacked by Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen for suggesting that the preemptive strike on Iraq was based on oil, the Post refused to print the presidential candidate and Ohio Democrat's response. This was especially frustrating, since the Post editorial stance and balance of editorial page columns have been decidedly pro-war. You can tell the Post how you feel about this ommission at ombudsman@washpost.com.
Is President Bush's war in Iraq about oil? Of course it is. Sometimes, the obvious answer is the right one: Oil is a major factor in the President's march to war, just as oil is a major factor in every aspect of U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf.
Ask yourself:
What commodity accounts for 83 percent of total exports from the Persian Gulf? What is the U.S. protecting with our permanent deployment of about 25,000 military personnel, 6 fighter squadrons, 6 bomber squadrons, 13 air control and reconnaissance squadrons, one aircraft carrier battle group, and one amphibious ready group based at 11 military installations in the countries of the Persian Gulf? (Note, the disproportionate troop deployments in the Middle East aren't there to protect the people, who constitute only 2 percent of the world population.)
What was Iraq's number one export when the U.S. made an alliance with Saddam Hussein, sold him biological and chemical weapons agents, and then did not object when he gassed his own people?
For what major Iraqi resource has Saddam Hussein denied contracts with the largest U.S. and U.K. multinational companies? (Note, those companies are the #2 (ExxonMobil), #4 (BP-Amoco), #8 (Shell) and #14 (ChevronTexaco) largest companies in the world, and the Bush Administration has been known to listen when large energy corporations speak.)
...
Please read it all!
In April, 2006, Kucinich Introduced HR 2070,
The Gas Price Spike Act:
http://www.commondreams.org/...
Since 2001, the five largest oil refining companies operating in America have recorded over $280 billion in profits. In the first three months of 2006 alone, Exxon Mobil made over $8 billion dollars in profits and Chevron made over $4 billion in profits. All the while consumers are paying the price at the pump.
"It is far past time that Congress stands up for the consumer and not the big oil companies," continued Kucinich. "Clearly, the market is flawed and Congress must intervene to defend consumers."
I'll do more diaries on things kucinich was right on. He is often ahead of the curve.
Have you seen his appearance in Nevada? He clearly won over the AFSCME crowd.
UPDATE:
http://kucinich.us/...
War Funding Update - March 13, 2007 1pm
I have just come from a Democratic Caucus meeting where I raised this issue:
Democrats are pushing President Bush’s benchmarks in the supplemental as milestones which must be reached by a certain time. One of the first milestones or benchmarks involves the privatization of Iraqi oil, in the form of passage of a so-called Hydrocarbon law.
Democrats are now in a position of legitimatizing the very reason why George Bush took the US to war against Iraq. To grab the oil.
Call your Member of Congress now and tell them to not permit the war funding bill to become the vehicle for the privatization of Iraq’s oil.