The Golden Fleece

Matthew Rothschild pointed out something interesting in A Bush speech on Iraq last Wednesday. Bush is now for the first time mentioning oil as a main reason for not leaving Iraq. He mentions oil 3 times in one speech.
I remember in the run up to war how it was unthinkable to suggest that the invasion was over oil , that it was only about security. We contemplated the suspicious rush to get over there and secure the oil ministry and fields but figured that the public would 'string them up' if they got caught at this high stakes shell game. Of course that was before we knew about Cheney's energy task force meetings carving up Iraq's riches for the big energy companies, before 911.
The Bush rationale now is that there's too much wealth and strategic assets in Iraq to allow terrorists to take control of it. As if Iraqis want or would let their country be run by terrorists?
Rothschild summarizes the new Bush switcheroo as" Bush understood that oil wasn't a sellable reason for invading Iraq, but now it's suppose to be a selling point for staying there."

Joshua Holland points out that there is a deadline in December for Iraq to finalize it's 'oil laws'.
Iraq's constitution from Bremer days requires it to allow foreign companies to own and control oil assets. It's even written into their constitution that they can't pass any future laws that would reduce oil profits in any way, such as minimum wage laws or even human rights laws! The goal is to get Iraq out of OPEC , have it's oil controlled by the big 4 and to thus control world prices.
Apparently, Iraq oil is so close to the surface that it's the cheapest in the world to remove, between $1-1.50 per barrel total costs to remove! The quality, quantity and profitability make Iraq the holy grail of the oil world.
Hidden reserves in western Iraq are believed to be enormous . The sweetest easiest crude in the world and 2 oil men running the U.S.
Iraq is the first opportunity the oil giants have had to take control of their supply.
Is this elephant in the room somewhere in the back of most American voters minds or would they hold their noses and want to control oil prices and accept this piracy of another countries sovereignty and riches?
There is a lot at stake for Bushco and the worlds 4 largest oil companies in Iraq. Everything in 'their' world is at stake. And nothing in 'our' world will get in their way, which explains their arrogance, callousness and single mindedness about staying the course.