Evan McMullin, the former CIA operative launching a longshot bid for president, said the decision to invade Iraq was “more complicated than people imagine,” but ultimately George W. Bush’s greatest mistake.

“I served in Iraq and I’m proud of my service there but I believe that that was a mistake,” McMullin said Tuesday on “Morning Joe.” “I don’t think we should have done that. I understand the reasons, I was close to some of those reasons, I understood — I was at the CIA, I heard the justification. I don’t think that served our best interest, but I understand. It’s more complicated than people imagine, but I understand.”