George Bush Iraq war

2022 - 5 - 19

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

George W. Bush called Iraq war 'unjustified and brutal.' He meant ... (The Washington Post)

The former U.S. president, who has faced criticism for the 2003 Iraq invasion, made an apparent verbal slip.

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. The fight: A slowly regenerating Russian army is making incremental gains in eastern Ukraine against valiant but underequipped Ukrainian forces. “The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia.” Just before the slip-up, Bush — who at 75 blamed the gaffe on his age — had been comparing the leadership of Russia and Ukraine. He praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he called a “cool little guy” and “the Churchill of the 21st century,” the latter statement echoing one he made after the two met virtually this month. “Oof,” tweeted Justin Amash, a former congressman who left the Republican Party to become an independent, in reaction to the video of Bush’s gaffe. But while the joke landed with some, many were quick to pounce on his verbal slip after nearly two decades of sharp criticism that Bush was unjustified in directing the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq, with some lobbing accusations that the 43rd president is a war criminal — the same label some have given Putin after his invasion of Ukraine this year, which has been widely criticized by the international community as illegal and inhumane.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "NPR"

Trying to condemn the war in Ukraine, Bush inadvertently calls Iraq ... (NPR)

In a speech, Bush criticized "the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq — I mean of Ukraine."

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The National"

George Bush calls Iraq war 'unjustified and brutal' in Ukraine mix-up ... (The National)

FORMER president of America George Bush has accidentally condemned the “unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq” - a war he initiated.

Former President George W. Bush: “The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine.”— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) pic.twitter.com/UMwNMwMnmX May 19, 2022 Bush called out the "unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq" before quickly correcting himself, saying “I mean Ukraine” as he blamed the mistake on his age. FORMER president of America George Bush has accidentally condemned the “unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq” - a war he initiated.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Euronews"

Gaffe as George W Bush slams Russia's 'wholly unjustified and ... (Euronews)

Bush, who sent US forces into Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein during his presidency, made the error in a speech about democracy on Wednesday. "Russian ...

Another columnist Wajahat Ali said it "took 20 years for George W Bush to finally confess". “Anyway. I’m 75,” the former Republican leader added. "Political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated from participating in the electoral process.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "NationalWorld"

George Bush: what did former US president say about Iraq war and ... (NationalWorld)

George W Bush made an embarrassing gaffe when he slammed Vladimir Putin's “unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq” - when he meant to say Ukraine.

"The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine." In 2003, when Mr Bush was president, the United States led an invasion of Iraq to overthrow the authoritarian government of Saddam Hussein. While referring to “one man” launching a “wholly unjustified and brutal invasion” he then said Iraq before he pulled up, while shaking his head and corrected himself with “Ukraine”. The Iraq war will always be associated with Mr Bush’s presidency, and it appeared to be on his mind as he mistakenly said Iraq instead of Ukraine. The former US president was giving a speech at an event on elections at the presidential centre in Dallas on Wednesday (18 May) where he spoke of the importance of democracy and condemned the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. George W Bush made an embarrassing gaffe when he slammed Vladimir Putin’s “unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq” - when he meant to say Ukraine.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Aljazeera.com"

'Freudian slip': Bush decries 'invasion of Iraq' – not Ukraine (Aljazeera.com)

Former US President George W Bush appears to admit 2003 invasion of Iraq was 'wholly unjustified, brutal' in speech.

“No joke.” “So it’s not funny, it’s impunity.” The verdict was not enforceable. “No but seriously, George W Bush whisperingly affirms his own self-description as launching a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq,” tweeted Will Greaves, an assistant professor of international relations at the University of Victoria. Former United States President George W Bush has decried the “wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq” in a gaffe during a speech in the US state of Texas. Former US President George. W Bush denounces the “wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq… I mean Ukraine.”pic.twitter.com/KNlUwQnWQQ

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

George W Bush accidentally admits Iraq war was 'unjustified and ... (The Guardian)

Former president makes slip when speaking at his presidential library in Dallas on Wednesday.

It broke Iraq and set off a sectarian civil war in which hundreds of thousands of people died. There are whole books full of “Bushisms”, like his boast that people “misunderestimated” him, and how much he felt for single mothers “working hard to put food on your family”. I still do.”

Post cover
Image courtesy of "New Statesman"

George Bush's Iraq War gaffe is unintentionally revealing (New Statesman)

WASHINGTON DC – George W Bush said what millions had been waiting years to hear. Speaking at an event on Wednesday 18 May, the former US president decried ...

The decision of the US to invade Iraq hung over its attempt to avert a Russian war in Ukraine. Ahead of Russia’s invasion, the Biden administration aggressively declassified intelligence that suggested that Russia was planning to stage an all-out assault on Ukraine, as indeed it was. The invasion of Iraq, much like Russia’s attack on Ukraine, demonstrated what happens when a leader’s personal conviction that a country must be invaded overshadows logic and humanity. Bush has, too, though, for the “intelligence failure”, not the war itself; he has also said that the worst moment of his presidency was when rapper Kanye West accused him of not caring about black people in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.) Russia’s UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, was chairing a UN Security Council meeting as Russia invaded Ukraine this February.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Vanity Fair"

George W. Bush Accidentally Admits He Waged a “Brutal” and ... (Vanity Fair)

Until now! By complete accident! Speaking at an event in Dallas about the state of democracy, Bush noted that Russian president Vladimir Putin has systemically ...

Then he shrugged his shoulders and muttered, “Iraq too,” before blaming the slip of the tongue on being 75. Many were and remain extremely angry about this, but, obviously, most of the individuals responsible have never admitted that the reason for the invasion and subsequent war was entirely baseless, that lives were taken in vain, and that the entire exercise, per U.S. intelligence agencies, became “the ‘cause célèbre’ for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of U.S. involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement.” Until now! If you lived through the early 2000s or know someone who did, you’re probably aware of the fact that the George W. Bush administration invaded Iraq on false pretenses, that troops stayed there for nearly a decade, and that the prolonged conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Al Arabiya English"

Blowback as former president Bush gaffes Iraq war, not Ukraine ... (Al Arabiya English)

Former President George W. Bush is facing criticism after mistakenly describing the invasion of Iraq — which he led as commander in chief — as “brutal” and.

I still do.” Former US President Bush says watching events in Afghanistan with ‘deep sadness’Former US President George Bush said he and former First Lady Laura Bush feel “deep sadness” over the events unfolding in Afghanistan.“Laura and I ... World News “The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq — I mean of Ukraine,” Bush said Wednesday night during a speech at his presidential center in Dallas. Former President George W. Bush is facing criticism after mistakenly describing the invasion of Iraq — which he led as commander in chief — as “brutal” and “wholly unjustified,” before correcting himself to say he meant to refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Launched with a search for suspected weapons of mass destruction that never materialized, the Iraq war resulted in the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s government, along with the deaths of US service members and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. “I wish he would have been this honest and critical of himself 20 years, countless lives, and trillions of dollars ago,” Donald Trump Jr. said in a tweet.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Maldon and Burnham Standard"

George W Bush under fire over 'brutal' Iraq invasion slip-up (Maldon and Burnham Standard)

Former president George W Bush is facing criticism after describing the invasion of Iraq — which he led as commander in chief — as “brutal” and “wholly ...

“Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere,” he joked. “I wish he would have been this honest and critical of himself 20 years, countless lives, and trillions of dollars ago,” Donald Trump Jr said in a tweet. “The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq — I mean of Ukraine,” Mr Bush said during a speech at his presidential centre in Dallas.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Tivyside Advertiser"

George W Bush under fire over 'brutal' Iraq invasion slip-up (Tivyside Advertiser)

Former president George W Bush is facing criticism after describing the invasion of Iraq — which he led as commander in chief — as “brutal” and “wholly ...

“Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere,” he joked. “I wish he would have been this honest and critical of himself 20 years, countless lives, and trillions of dollars ago,” Donald Trump Jr said in a tweet. “The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq — I mean of Ukraine,” Mr Bush said during a speech at his presidential centre in Dallas.

Explore the last week