Social media reacts to George W. Bush's brutal Iraq gaffe when talking Ukraine     DATE: 2024-05-20 20:47:36

You wouldn't be surprised to hear someone describe the U.S. invasion of Iraq as  "unjustified and brutal," especially at this point in history.

However, the one person you probably wouldn't expect to say that, just did. Accidentally.

Former President George W. Bush made the gaffe of the yearon Wednesday in a speech in Dallas when attempting to denounce Russian president, Vladmir Putin, and Russia's invasion of 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," said the former U.S president who was responsible for invading Iraq in 2003. 

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"...I mean of Ukraine," Bush followed up, correcting himself. Ouch.

Bush proceeded to chuckle and mention "Iraq" again to himself, before blaming his old age for the gaffe. The crowd laughedalong with Bush. Tens of thousands of people died in the war.

George W. Bush's gaffe is certainly no consolation for the many lives lost as a result of Bush's invasion of Iraq. But for a brief moment on Wednesday night, it provided a little bit of catharsis for social media users who grew up during the Bush administration in the early 2000s. Mission accomplished.