Powerful Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania was early opponent of Iraq War
(AP) - Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a retired Marine Corps officer who became an outspoken critic of the Iraq war, has died after suffering complications from gallbladder surgery. The powerful Democrat, a close ally of speaker Nancy Pelosi, was 77. In 1974, Murtha became the first combat veteran of the Vietnam War elected to Congress. He wielded considerable clout for 2 decades as a leader of the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending. More»
