Too much bleeding not enough building

When President Barack Obama welcomed home the US troops pulled from Iraq this week, he said that "everything that American troops have done in Iraq, all the fighting and all the dying; the bleeding and the building; the training and partnering, has led us to this moment of success".

He seems to forget that back in 2002 the then young state Senator described it as "a dumb war".

To be far, Obama may still feel that way, but it would be political suicide for him to say that today given his role as commander-in-chief and incumbent president battling to secure the votes that will give him a second term in office.