I just happened to catch Kucinich's speech today on the privatization of the Iraqi oil industry. He used a special personal privilege rule to get a full hour to run down the unbelievable sweetheart deal that we're pushing the Iraqi parliament, and one of the few "benchmarks" remaining in the supplemental. If the Iraqis do not pass it, they will lose reconstruction funds.
A sample of the floor speech:
The administration sets several benchmarks for the Iraqi Government, including the passage of the hydrocarbon law by the parliament. The administration misled this Congress by emphasizing only a small part of this law, the so-called "fair" distribution of oil revenues.
Consider the fact that the Iraqi hydrocarbon law contains a mere three sentences that generally discuss the "fair" distribution of oil. Except for these three scant lines, the entire 33-page hydrocarbon bill is about creating a complex legal structure to facilitate the privatization of Iraqi oil. As a matter of fact, yesterday, Vice President Cheney was in Baghdad specifically to tell the Iraqi legislature they must stay in session to pass this hydrocarbon bill which hands Iraqi oil over to foreign oil companies.
He also details the secret amendments to the bill that no one is supposed to look at, Cheney's energy task force's role, the opposition from Iraqi labor leaders, etc.
We are trying to "legally" steal the Iraqi oil, remove all jurisdiction for any disputes from the Iraqi courts, and ensuring more massive profits for the world's largest oil companies.
But, being the big-hearted country that we are, we will let the Iraqis participate in a production "sharing" agreement. HA! This oil deal is something that Big Oil has tried to institute in other countries, but have always been knocked down. Now, thanks to the US, they will get their complete wishlist.
Kucinich runs down the whole dirty, incestuous relationship, and it is truly horrific - not just for Iraqis, but for the prospect of long-term stability in the region.
Kucinich's website does not have the text of this speech posted yet, but when they do it should be here.
This whole thing reminded me of a quoteI read from a n Iraqi staffer for McClatchy newspapers:
We are happy that we got rid of Saddam but we will never be happy to give away our country in return.
Sorry if our flesh harmed your knives... is that what they want us to say? Is this what they came for?
No, an apology will not be enough for this cabal, they they came for the only remaining product of any value generated in Iraq - its oil.