I think I agree with many of your perceptions (the justification for invading Iraq would be an exception). I don't know what it is about Clinton that makes him so forgiveable--the guy was slimy. I would never shake his hand.
As for the rebuilding of Iraq, it seems that the media, in its constant effort to deliver "news," delivers a message that says something like, "...Day 279: Nothing new; Day 280: Nothing new..." and Americans construe that to mean "No progress."
I wish Americans would just quit being sheep and actually look at situations and think about them. While I don't think we should ever have invaded Iraq, Bush did say from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy, that it would be a long road. Why do we expect, then, to see it done 15 months later?
--There, shame on me--I'm sounding conservative while I'm really an indignant fence-sitter.