Presidential victory laps

President Obama visited U.S. troops in Iraq (April 2009), and in Afghanistan in March and December of 2010.

On March 28, 2010 Mr. Obama - just months after announcing his administration would withdraw all U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of 2011 while implementing a "surge" of U.S. forces in Afghanistan - told soldiers at Bagram Air Base that while he had ordered more troops to Afghanistan, he had also pushed America's allies "to pony up more resources themselves, more commitments of aid, and additional forces and trainers.

"Many of the troops that I ordered to Afghanistan have begun to arrive, and more are on the way. And we'll continue to work with Congress to make sure that you've got the equipment that you need, particularly as we complete our drawdown in Iraq."

Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images