NYTimes: For Steve Russell, a Relaxing Post After Helping to Capture Saddam Hussein
For Steve Russell, a Relaxing Post After Helping to Capture Saddam Hussein
By EMMARIE HUETTEMAN
WASHINGTON — It is fair to say the life of Representative Steve Russell, Republican of Oklahoma, became considerably more sedate after he was elected to Congress.
A retired lieutenant colonel, Mr. Russell served 21 years in the Army, in Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. He commanded a unit integral to catching Saddam Hussein and wrote a book about it: “We Got Him!: A Memoir of the Hunt and Capture of Saddam Hussein.”
After founding a group called Vets for Victory, Mr. Russell became a public speaker who was no stranger to the news media, appearing on shows such as Spike TV’s “Deadliest Warrior.” He started a company that makes replicas of Iraqi rifles, including those used in the recent film “American Sniper,” and he served in the Oklahoma Senate.
Mr. Russell, 51, who represents Oklahoma’s Fifth District, spoke about the challenges of being in the military and Congress in this interview, which has been condensed.