Check out this interview with Gen. Petraeus on the BBC.

In a BBC interview, Gen Petraeus said that recent security gains were "not irreversible" and that the US still faced a "long struggle".

Leaving his post, he said there were "many storm clouds on the horizon which could develop into real problems". Overall he summed up the situation as "still hard but hopeful", saying that progress in Iraq was "a bit more durable" but that the situation there remained fragile.

He said he did not know that he would ever use the word "victory": "This is not the sort of struggle where you take a hill, plant the flag and go home to a victory parade... it's not war with a simple slogan."

Long struggle, not irreversible, still hard, many clouds on the horizon... These aren't words of praise about Iraq being uttered by the General. Once again we hear the "fragile" word. Is that what success is, fragile?