George W. Bush Confuses Iraq With Ukraine in Gaffe

Former president George W. Bush accidentally said "Iraq" when referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "brutal and unjustified" decision to invade Ukraine.

The gaffe happened Wednesday night during Bush's speech about an election integrity at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas.

"In contrast, Russian elections are rigged," Bush said. "Political opponents are imprisoned or otherwise eliminated from participating in the electoral process. 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, Ukraine. Iraq too, anyway."

Shortly after making the mistake, the 75-year-old former president referenced his age which made the audience laugh in return.

Bush ordered the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that overthrew Saddam, and his administration has faced criticism for the war both during and after his presidency.

In his 2010 memoir, "Decision Points," Bush admitted to mistakes in Iraq, including the decision to disband the Iraqi army, and said he got a "sickening feeling" every time he thought about the failure to find weapons of mass destruction, his main justification for the war. But he stood by his decision to invade.

Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world.

Connect with us on…

[davidgallardo]

Just casually admitting his crimes and the audience just laughs it off

[erinwalker]

It took him 20 years, but he finally admitted that!

[BadNewz]

This is when you know that you are so highly above the law that there's nothing can be done about it. These people are evil

[johnnydeep]

Audience thinks Genocide form this war criminal is funny.

[hermangouw]

Bush Jr was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past who made him admit his guilt in public.

[meejinhuang]

He meant what he said. He regrets the Iraq invasion.

[CookintheApp]

Such a world filled with brutal injustice. Where the diabolical autocratic system and dictator can make a joke about reality and everyone just laughs

[dc]

😂🤣....after he f#cked it up he says.... Anyway!!

[rinalore]

Perfect example of a Freudian slip, like the US illegally invading Iraq!

[harryshuman]

So did he ICC issue a warrant for his arrest yet?

[mondavou]

Those poor soldiers who died because of him. Laugh, just laugh its perfectly normal. barf

[Xerruy]

That little chuckle when, in one instant, he realizes the full extent of his gaffe

[Pequalidem]

And what's he wrong about? Only in "Iraq too".

[peteryokahui]

this is what liars do, they make mistakes

[NoJetDoc]

Wow, good thing we don't have a President that mixes things like this ALL THE TIME, right???

[clown]

He just admitted the Iraq invasion was unjustified. 😂

[Nic]

UKRAINE = NEU IRAK (German for New Iraq)
No mistake here😁👍

[frost]

Its not funny, means there was no right for war in Iraq.

[anuragsinha]

This is not old age, this is what he's always been.
Unfortunately people remember 8 years of Bushism.

[metaprophet]

Gotta love George. I'd like to make a request for W's next painting: Sean Penn and Zelinsky as fishing buddies, using golden-hued hooks made from Sean's smelted Oscars. And maybe Putin is in the background as a shark or a whale or something (I'll leave that up to your artistic genius, George!).