Carl Levin actually said...

"The security situation in Afghanistan is serious, and the fight with al Qaeda and the Taliban has reached a crucial stage."

"If we take the right steps, we can help ensure that Afghanistan does not revert to a Taliban-dominated government."

"a failure in Afghanistan would have, I think, a devastating effect on our efforts to stabilize neighboring nuclear Pakistan."

"This is not a question of a lack of motivation on the part of the Afghans."