On Monday, Senator Obama could not have hoped for better, when he stepped onto the basketball court in Baghdad and, surrounded by soldiers, executed a perfect "swish" shot (when the ball does not touch the hoop or backboard) from four metres away.

The hardened troops watching were clearly impressed by the shot from the 46-year-old, who still plays basketball for fun.

Earlier in the day, Senator Obama had taken a helicopter ride over Baghdad with General David Petraeus. The pair, who have disagreed over the speed of withdrawal in Iraq, laughed together as if old friends.

Senator Obama also said on Monday that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, had expressed support for his plans for a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by 2010.

If the idea is to reassure US voters that Senator Obama would make a suitable commander-in-chief, then the images from the trip so far could not have been more positive.

But there is some concern that Senator Obama risks being seen as arrogant, assuming he will win the November election.

The criticism extends to his campaign plane, which has been repainted with the slogan "Change you can believe in" and the Obama O logo. Is it too smart to have a freshly painted plane?

The Republican nominee, John McCain, is having problems with the media. Aside from Senator Obama taking reporters and the country's attention overseas with him, Senator McCain had an opinion piece rejected by The New York Times last week. The Times published a similar piece by Senator Obama nine days ago.

The paper's opinion editor, David Shipley, said: "The Obama piece worked for me because it offered new information … It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama's piece. To that end, the article would have to articulate, in concrete terms, how Senator McCain defines victory in Iraq."

But conservative commentators have accused The New York Times of bias against the Republican candidate.