Paul Wolfowitz's unprecedented departure - in good health, midway through a five-year term - is for his many critics at the World Bank a fitting end to a tenure they say was marked by his disdain for bank rules and practices, confrontation with the board and disregard for the views of career staff with long practical experience of development.

Yet Mr Wolfowitz challenges the notion that his presidency has ended in failure - or that it was ever truly dominated by controversies and conflict.