Embarrassing slip of tongue angers Iraqis

BAGHDAD: An embarrassing slip of the tongue by former US president George W Bush may have drawn laughter from his American audience, but it raised the ire of Iraqis.

In a speech this week in Dallas about Russia’s war on Ukraine, Bush said: “The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq, I mean of Ukraine,” he said in a speech, drawing laughter from the audience.

“Anyway, 75,” he added, referring to his own age, to more laughter.

Between 2003 and 2011, when the US withdrew its troops after leading an invasion of Iraq that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, more than 100 000 civilians were killed. The invasion cost the lives of nearly 4 500 Americans.

Video footage of the gaffe has since gone viral, stoking anger among Iraqis. “The spectre of Iraq’s invasion and destruction haunts Bush jr. His subconscious exposed it when it took over his tongue,” Iraqi journalist Omar al-Janabi tweeted.