WASHINGTON — When House Republicans needed a John McCain-like war hero to lead their fight against Democratic assaults on President Bush's Iraq strategy, they turned to another former POW, a Texas Republican named Sam Johnson.
Though less known than Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), his onetime cellmate in Vietnam, Johnson spent nearly seven years in a prisoner of war camp, about half of it in solitary confinement. When he took to the House floor during last week's emotional debate on the Iraq war, the 76-year-old former fighter pilot drew heavily on Vietnam experiences.
He spoke about his 2,494 days of "hell on Earth" in captivity and his "rat-infested 3-by-8 dark and filthy cell," while displaying the effects of injuries he sustained 34 years ago: a mangled right hand, stooped posture and slow gait.
Johnson has emerged as the House GOP's point man in an escalating fight in Congress over Bush's execution of the war -- a position that puts him opposite another decorated Vietnam veteran, Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.). GOP leaders see Johnson as the Republican best suited to counter Murtha, an ex-Marine and defense hawk who has become a influential war critic. "I respect John Murtha as a Marine," Johnson said. "However, serviceman to serviceman, I think his efforts are misguided."
Johnson is preparing for the next phase of challenges to Bush's war strategy. Murtha, who heads the House defense appropriations subcommittee, is moving to attach strings to Bush's war-funding request that could thwart his plan to add 21,500 troops to the 135,000-plus already in Iraq.
Both parties have featured military veterans prominently to make their case in the debate over the 4-year-old war.
Johnson led a parade of congressional military veterans in the GOP's losing fight last week against a symbolic resolution, sponsored by the House's Democratic majority, that put the chamber on record against a buildup of U.S. troops in Iraq.
He marked the 34th anniversary of his first full day of freedom from POW camp during the debate.
And he gave the closing speech -- one of the most impassioned during four days of debate -- opposing the resolution.
"Let my body serve as a brutal reminder that we must not repeat the mistakes of the past," Johnson said. "We must not cut funding for our troops. We must stick by them. We must support them all the way."
He delivered a salute and returned to his seat as members of both parties applauded.
