A few British, German and Australian liaison officers are working with the U.S. Marines at their base in south Afghanistan, a Marine spokesman revealed for the first time Sunday, a day after a group of Marines rolled off into the desert on a secret mission. A two-kilometer column of U.S. military vehicles, including light armor, left the base Saturday in a plume of dust.

U.S. officials wouldn't say where the vehicles were going or state their purpose. "But I don't think anything here is an exercise," said Capt. Stewart Upton, a spokesman for Task Force 58, which combines the 15th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units with air and naval support for Operation Swift Freedom. He said he could provide no other information.
The U.S. toehold in southern Afghanistan seized a week ago is within striking distance of Kandahar, the Taliban's last stronghold, and anti-Taliban tribal fighters are battling toward the city. Bureau Report