Things You Won't See On Conservative Websites

Of all the huff and puff about the oil-for-food program and how the UN, France, Germany, Russia, liberals, Dan Rather and vegans have been totally discredited by it, I think it's of slight interest to note that the first person to be convicted in the case is a Texas oilman.

Texas oilman Oscar Wyatt Jr. was sentenced to a year in prison Tuesday for his role in corrupting the U.N. oil-for-food program, winning leniency from a judge who cited his military service during World War II and his many good deeds during his lifetime.

Wyatt, 83, cried as he addressed the court, saying he ''would never do anything to hurt my country.''

Moments later, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin imposed a sentence below the year and a half to two years in prison to which Wyatt had agreed when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy last month. Wyatt also agreed to forfeit $11 million.

By the way, this guy who got leniency after numerous letters to the judge, including from members of Congress and Farrah Fawcett (!), paid Saddam-era Iraqi officials $8 million dollars to get favorable oil contracts, and maintained close relations with Saddam throughout this period.

Somehow, this won't be the first thing that comes up when you hear "oil-for-food." But American oil companies were among the biggest offenders.