Carl Levin actually said...

"The departure of U.S. forces has been characterized as the end of only the first chapter of what will be an enduring relationship with Iraq for many years to come."

"It will be vitally important that the United States work with the Iraqi political leadership and the United Nations to ensure: (1) that those elections happen on time; and (2) that they are free, fair..."

"The U.S. military presence in Iraq was a source of recruitment for Iranian-backed extremist groups in Iraq."

"You said you helped manage the negotiations on whether and how to extend the December 2011 deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops."