Oil rising again

After barely crossing over $100 early in the year it dropped to the "low" of around $88 per barrel. Big Oil and OPEC must have concluded that the economy wasn't completely ruined yet so today it is nearing $96. What is it going to take to conclude that being tied so closely to oil is not beneficial to the US? Can you imagine where we would be today if we spent the trillions that have gone towards Iraq on new energy for the future? We might not be there today but we would certainly be much closer than we are today.