Home WebMail Saturday, November 2, 2024, 02:31 PM | Calgary | 4.5°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Posted: 2015-05-10T16:42:45Z | Updated: 2015-05-11T15:59:01Z

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) would have authorized the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, putting the likely 2016 presidential contender on the same page as his brother George W. Bush, the president who actually did so.

I would have [authorized the invasion], and so would have Hillary Clinton, just to remind everybody. And so would almost everybody that was confronted with the intelligence they got, Bush told Fox News' Megyn Kelly in an interview scheduled to air Monday.

But he acknowledged that the "intelligence that everybody saw, that the world saw, was faulty," adding that after the invasion, the U.S. ought to have focused on securing and stabilizing Iraq in order to shield its people from sectarian violence.

By the way, guess who thinks that those mistakes took place as well? George W. Bush. Yes, I mean, so just for the news flash to the world, if theyre trying to find places where theres big space between me and my brother, this might not be one of those," Jeb Bush said.

While the former governor has admitted mistakes made by his brother's administration during the Iraq War in the past, his public comments affirming his support for the 2003 invasion appear to be a first. They also mark a shift in how Bush has spoken about his brother amid criticism of his costly legacy abroad, which could hinder Bushs likely run for president in 2016.

Addressing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in February, for example, Bush attempted to distance himself from his brother's and father's record in the Middle East.

"I love my father and my brother ... but I am my own man -- and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own experiences," he said.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

His circle of advisers , which includes many of the same men and women who worked for his brother and father, and his citing of George W. Bush as his main adviser on the Middle East, seem to belie that statement.

Democrats responded to Bush's comments on Iraq in a statement Sunday morning.

The difference between the Bush brothers and most Americans is that most people believe we were misled into invading Iraq. Knowing now what we did not know then, Jeb Bush still would have gone in," said Democratic National Committee Communications Director Mo Elleithee.