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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Liam Buckler

US President Joe Biden mixes up Ukraine with Iraq in 79-year-old’s latest slip

US President Joe Biden made another slip after mixing up Ukraine’s Kherson with the Iraq city of Fallujah.

The 79-year-old made the latest gaffe in front of reporters at the White House on Wednesday evening as he discussed the Midterm results.

After news emerged Russian military had been ordered to pull out of Kherson, the only capital captured since invading Ukraine, the president was asked to comment on the embarrassing retreat by the Kremlin.

Mr Biden responded to the question about Russia's withdrawal by remarking “I think the context is that... whether or not they’re pulling back from Fallujah.”

After quickly realising his latest gaffe, he corrected himself: “I mean from the... the... Kherson... the city of Kherson... and they’re coming back across the river to the eastern side of the river, the Russian forces.”

Joe Biden made the gaffe when speaking to reporters at the White House (Getty Images)

The president added both countries will "lick their wounds" before deciding “what they’re going to do over the winter, and decide whether or not they’re going to compromise”.

Fallujah is a city located in Iraq - roughly 70km west of the country’s capital, Baghdad.

It is not the first time the 79-year-old has made a gaffe when discussing Ukraine after he made the comparison of Russia's invasion of Ukraine with the Iraq War.

Mr Biden said: “They talk about inflation… inflation is a worldwide problem right now because of a war in Iraq and the impact on oil and what Russia ’s doing… excuse me, the war in Ukraine."

Just last month the president made reference to his son dying in Iraq during a speech in Colorado on October 13 after telling the audience Beau “lost his life in Iraq.”

President Biden said: “American soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division scaled that 1,800-foot cliff at night, caught the Germans by surprise, captured key positions, and broke through the German defense line at a pivotal point in the war.”

During the speech at the raining ground of the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division he incorrectly stated his son lost his life in Iraq.

The president has previously made similar mistakes when talking about Ukraine (Getty Images)

Biden said: “Just imagine — I mean it sincerely, I say this as a father of a man who won the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Medal, and lost his life in Iraq — Imagine the courage, the daring, and the genuine sacrifice, genuine sacrifice they all made."

He claimed he became confused because that's where his son died: "I’m thinking about Iraq because that’s where my son died.”

His son Beau Biden died at the age of 46 in May 2015 at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, after battling brain cancer.

He had returned to the US after being deployed to Iraq in September 2009 where he spent a year serving as a military lawyer in the Delaware National Guard brigade.

Mr Biden has previously made embarrassing statements during his time in office including on September 28 when he tried to pick out Republican Jackie Walorski in the audience.

She had died earlier this year.

The president previously issued a statement mourning her passing and lowered the White House flag for two days out of respect.

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