"chesty" puller, one of our former marines, one of the most decorated marines in the marine corps. >> actually "chesty the 12th" is retiring. he's turning over the leash to "chesty the 13th." one thing that's guaranteed here at one of our evening parades is chesty always gets that same applause. he always gets those "oohs" and "ahhs" and everyone loves chesty. >> when we come back, the evening parade, u.s. marine style. >>> we continuously practice all year round to put on the best show in america right here in d.c. >> because the marine corps grew out of the navy, they often use nautical terms. for example, marines call the parade grounds the "deck." as in a deck on a ship. >> here on parade deck, you don't get tanks, you don't get guns, you don't get whiz-bang lasers or anything like that. you get a marine in dress blues out there, showing the american people what we're all about. and it is about discipline, it is about honor, courage and our commitment to the country. >> battalion. fix bayonets. >> ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the presentation of the colors. >> after the t

and i said i'm not a marine i'm a corpsman.ay you're a marine. >> oliver: more on the road to war inx>÷?÷?ó >> oliver: after star light there would be many more battles hamburger hill, caisson. broadcast to the world it was the first living room war. before the end it would drive lbj from office, divide the nation and scar yet another .residency .wanted to end this war >> in 1973 the last combat troops left vietnam. that friday everett alvarez was released. he wrote the book chained eagle. south vietnam fell to the vietnamese in 1945. hoech men wouldn't see the victory he died in 1969. billy wa retired his total time 7 and a half years. he wrote about life as a war year in his book "hunting the jack cal." >> we would may man how stupid could we have been we would have ended that thing so easily. you know it's true. >> oliver: ernie wallace received the cross for heroism he and ed brumet would return for second tours in vietnam. ed martin received the bronze star after star light and left the navy in 1968. >> a lot of men died

marine forces. other times it disperses. it also has adopted a tactic of trying to surround any kind of combat. come in with buried bombs or improvised explosive devices and attack forces indirectly. so trying to predict the combat situation in any given moment is very difficult. >> this fight today is not necessarily an indication, say, that the taliban were -- or had been emboldened to fight more aggressively. >> no, not at all. i mean they can pick to fight for a whole host of reasons. sometimes it may just be a local leader. sometimes there may really be something to predict or protect, a large amount of narcotics or some key facility. or they may feel this is good ambush point. they can exit once they come under pressure. engaging in something where you can succeed in achieving at least some casualties against u.s. forces and take limited casualties on your own. and of course they often make mistakes. there are lots of times that u.s. and british troops can inflict significant casualties on the taliban. >> after your vi

marine fces. othe times it dispses. it also has adted a tacticof trying to surround any kind of combat. come in with buried bomb or improvised elosive devices and atta forces indirecy. so trng to predict thecombat situationin given moment i very difficult. >>his fight today i not cessarily an indication, say, that the talib were --or had be emboldenedo fight more aggressively. >>o, not at all. iean they c pick to fht for a whole hostf reasons. metimes it may just be local leader. sometimes there may rally be something to predict or protect, a lge. a narcocs or some key facility. sore they mayeel this is good amsh point. they can exit once theyome under pressure engaging in somethg where you can succeed and achvingt least some casualties agast u.s. forces an take limited casualties on your own. and of cours they oftenake stakes. there arlots of times that u.s. and briti troops ca inflict significant casuties onhe taliban. >> after your vis to afghanistan, you wrote a report sayinghat taliban appeared to be winning. thu.s

the marines have just found an ied in their way. approximate everybody is pulling back so they don't get blown up. after four hours in the water waiting to destroy the ied, the marines get word the enemy has moved out. they start to head back, taking cover as the ied is finally blown up. it's rare for these marines not to get into a gun battle. they say it will happen tomorrow. it has almost every day since they arrived. lara logan, cbs news, helmand province. >> in the atlantic ocean, hurricane bill continues to strengthen. video shows the storm's vast reach, 300 miles across. ow category 3 hurricane with winds near 125 miles per hour. it's expected to pass northeast of the caribbean later today. it will miss florida but could hit farther north on the east coast.beaumont, texas say people in the path of a tornado are fortunate to be alive this morning. video shows a twister forming yesterday in the sky. it skipped across a major shopping area, tossing cars like toys. >> the next thing i know, another car just landed on top of mine

but these marines are not complaining. (announcer) claritin-d refuses to compromise on fast congestion relief. neither should you. thank you claritin-d. (announcer) so you'll find claritin-d behind the pharmacy counter. thank you claritin-d, for staying tough on the toughest allergy symptoms. for refusing to change your formula. (announcer) nothing works stronger, faster or longer to relieve your worst allergy symptoms including congestion and sinus pressure without drowsiness. thank you claritin-d for helping me live claritin clear. (announcer) get claritin-d at the pharmacy counter. still no prescription needed. and my dog bailey and i love to hang out in the kitchen... so she can watch me cook. you just love the aromas of beef tenderloin... and, ooh, rotisserie chicken. yes, you do. [ barks ] yeah. you're so special, you deserve a very special dog food. [ woman ] introducing chef michael's canine creations. the deliciously different way to serve up your love at mealtime. chef-inspired. dog-desired. chef michael's canine

the marines have just found an i.e.d. in their way, so everybody's pulling back so they don't get blown up. after four hours in the water waiting to destroy the i.e.d., the marines get word the enemy has moved out so they start to head back, taking cover as the i.e.d. is finally blown up. it's rare for these marines not to get into a gun battle. they say it will happen tomorrow. it has almost every day since they arrived. lara logan, cbs news, southern helmand. >> rodriguez: no matter who wins the presidential election there, the u.s. expects changes from the afghan government. first and foremost, more help fighting the insurgents. but as david martin reports, the election has given the taliban new incentive to throw that country into chaos. >> reporter: with the election looming, the taliban has increased its number of attacks from 32 a day to 48. when that suicide bomber in kabul crashed his car into a nato convoy, the taliban was quick to claim credit for the mayhem. but a senior nato officer insists 48 attacks cannot

also tonight, in the middle of the action as the marines push out the taliban. u.s. forces take over a key enemy stronghold in afghanistan, but the fight to secure the town is not over. change in the air why you'll soon have to provide more personal information to buy an airline ticket. and remembering the man behind the electric guitar. rock 'n' roll pioneer les paul. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: good evening, everyone. once again, we begin tonight with a battle over health care reform, but this time, we're not starting at a town meeting. tonight, we're going to show you why many believe reform is desperately needed. these are just some of the tens of thousands of americans when need health care but have no insurance or not enough of it, and they're lining up at a free makeshift clinic in los angeles, a short-term solution to a long-term problem. bill whitaker begins our coverage. >> reporter: people from all around los angeles have been lining up like this around the clock since monday. waiting, hoping to

that marines persevere through the strength of our fellow marines and marines did not quit when the going gets tough. in other words, we want to get to the left of suicide. to rapidly raise the level of awareness across the marine corps, one of the% of marines received additional suicide prevention training during march of this year. it was delivered by leaders and educated marines on all sides in a gauge of with their bodies and how to access the number of resources. with support of the navy, we are increasing our mental health professionals and embedding them in our units where they can develop close relationship with the marines in the attempt to reduce the stigma of seeking help and identifying it affected individuals earlier. while there is no single answer for this crisis, we are committed to exploring every possible exclusion and using every resource we have available. i promised the committee i will rest until this has turned around and i think each and every one of the for your faithfulness to the nation and your competence and leadership with the court. >> -- with the marine cor

the marine advance in dahaneh has been slowed at times by the new rules of engagement here. general stanley mcchrystal changed the rules to prevent mass casualties among afghan villages. he said all foreign took places have to use proportionate force and make protecting afghan civilians their top priority. not a single afghan civilian has been killed or wounded in spite of the fierce fighting. here they're escorting afghan civilians from their homes, directing them to safety. >> tell him that right now it is not safe for them to walk over there. they have it come with us. tell him the taliban has guns all over there. >> reporter: this elderly man almost got caught in the cross-fire after a warning shot he was searched and sent on his way. many of the 2,000 people who live here have fled. the marines will come back when the town is secure in time to vote in the presidential election next week. lara logan, cbs news, camp bastion, helmand. >> couric: coming up next right here on the cbs evening news, the number of americans drowning in debt is rising. saddled with homes worth l

marines are pushing into helmand -- >> looks like we -- >> but u.s. marines are discovering that they're going into places where there had been no u.s. military presence or no coalition presence at just over the last 24, 36 hours or so. seven u.s. and british soldiers and marines have been killed in southern afghanistan. >> general mcaffrey, does all of this say to you that, you know, there's a front page story in "the new york times" today about the obama administration trying

marines stormed into this taliban strong hold three days ago. to take control of the town, and derail taliban plans to disrupt the elections. >> we will see attempts at spectacular attacks. hopefully we will disrupt them before they become spectacular attacks. >> reporter: but that's what they're planning? >> that's the biggest bang for the buck for them. >> reporter: the aim was to get the taliban out in time for people to vote. but the town is still not secure. senior marine officers told cbs news they believe the taliban is trying to launch a counterattack. >> they will assess our strength, our posture, they will assess our security measuress, and they will probe until they have found a weakness. >> reporter: the marines point out that it's only been six weeks since they launched major operations across this province. but the question is already being asked, do they have enough troops? what the marines and the people here say they want is more afghan soldiers. but there aren't enough afghan soldiers to fill the growing need here. so it will b

she's with the marines of echo company. their mission was to hunt down the taliban in helmand province so voters could get to the polls. they were not always successful. rntut there was very low. cht echo company is used to a ngerleale. more than 200 strong, tle company in urir. in iraq. this is their first afghanistan, they arrived seven weeks ago. as lara tells us, they are operating in some of the worst conditions imaginable. >> reporter: this is combat outpost shop, home to echo company for almost two months now. from this old school building, taliban fighters battle these marines as they fought their way in here. now it's the marines that use this as a base to launch attacks on the taliban. >> when we first came here, this was... this place had... it was disgusting. it had syringes on the ground hushg man waste. it had... it was just absolutely filthy and while it's not the taj mahal right now, we have made into this into a place where marine cans operate out of. >> reporter: 27-year-old lieutenant tomkins told us what

marines in afghanistan, including this marine.r. >>> the sanchez hour will take you inside the afghanistan operation with video that you won't see anywhere else, not just today, but for the rest of the week. here's something you don't see very often. this building is supposed to implode. but something goes terribly wrong. more on that and remember the aftershow, after the show. on cnn.com/live at 4:00 p.m. introducing one a day women's 2o. the first complete women's multivitamin in a drink mix. with more calcium and vitamin d... to support bone and breast health... while helping you hydrate. one a day women's 2o. refreshingly healthy. >>> by the way, i should just as a tease, i should let you know that roland martin will be joining me in a little bit. he says he has a lot to say about the story we did, the president of the united states possibly, according to some who have been looking at his advisors talk over the weekend, might tax americans making less than $250,000 a year. he's got a lot to say about that and also has somethin

hundreds of american marines move on a taliban stronghold. >>> jewel heist. two bandits pull off one of the biggest robberies in british history. >>> this is the cbs "morning news" for wednesday, august 12th, 2009. captioning funded by cbs >>> grngs, good morning, thanks for joining us. as congress prepares for a debate on the health care crisis, outside the debate has grown bitter. inside, the president urged his critics to listen. >> not these wild representations that bear no resemblance to anything that's been proposed. >> lawmakers across the country are facing outraged, freightened citizens. long-time senator arlen specter said there is more anger in america today than any time he can remember. >> reporter: as we can see, these crowds are becoming hostile, shouting questions and becoming very angry at thul town hall meetings. yesterday and today, the president is expected to say that the scariest outcome of all would be failing to fix the current system. the passionate debate over health care reform is growing more heated by the day. >> anyone that read

marines entered new territory today with guns blazing. correspondent greg palkot has exclusive pictures from afghanistan at the start of a new operation against militant forces. >> the taliban took an explosive hit in northern helmand province today. gulf company 23 marines is leading a force of 500, aiming to cheer all the taliban from the town of dahna, a crucial resupply and reroofing base for the militants. the marines reached the cam much and ran into a barrage of taliban fire. small arms, r.p.g.'s and mortars and the marines answered in kind and then some, putting up with relentless sniper fire and the searing heat. >> the marines have been on the ground for about four hours now. they say that they have killed some of the taliban, but there are several others out there and they are ready for the kill. this is a lot of ammunition you got. there >> yeah, it is. >> according to the marines, the talibans are victimizing the locals in this town, threatening and extorting them. if the taliban can be removed, it is hoped that an afghanista

life of his remembers her sons the marine that put the life of his comrades ahead of his own. captions paid for by abc, inc. >>> good evening, we got a stark reminder of what one man thought to be carrying a bomb can do to air travel across this nation. he forced a shutdown at the main terminal at laguardia here in new york, crippling operations for a time and spreading a lot of fear. authorities moved in and determined a bag of wires was a fake not before crowds evacuated the airport and delays began to mount. we begin with jeremy hubbard. >> reporter: the scare sent passengers streaming out of a busy airport forced to flea aftflee after a man walked in with a bag that has wires, batteries and what looked like a trigger. >> it was chaotic. guys in blue shirts. >> they said we're evacuateled. >> reporter: police arrested scott mcbegan with a history of problems. witnesses said he appeared drunk. police say he was acting crazy. the evacuation came at a crippling time. start of a bridge summer travel day at laguardia. the airport's central terminal was shut down for hours. >> i

the choppers fire flares as the marines push further south than they've evers, shots ring out ae marines get down. then the order comes to run for cover behind a nearby berm. it's exactly what the marines expected. as they move through the open ground, they took small arms fire. these guys are not put off by the show of power, the air support, they're into fighting positions and building while the marines are out exposed. they're using every piece of ground they can find. the anticipated fight doesn't come and the marines head home. >> each time we go down there, we've made a fight so today was a little strange. it could be linked with tomorrow's elections, it could be that they have people that normally fight us here that might be off in other air whereas doing other things. >> reporter: echo company will be out on election day reassuring locals it's safe to vote. but even they don't believe it will make much difference here where the taliban holds more sway than anyone else. lara logan, cbs news, southern helmand. >> rodriguez: in iraq, meanwhile u.s. forces pulled out of major cities

at age 35 care was twice as old ad some of the other marines. that willingness to set aside a comfortable civilian life is reminiscent of another american hero. t tillman. >> i have beena great admirer of pat tillman also. he gave 110% and had very long e eslu po. re: rteranva >> reporter: an a reou reouprd of son they raisedsc holar, statesman, patriot and marine they are prouder still of the examples he sets for others. >> i think it is a wonderful example for not just america but for all of human kind. he cared deeply about people and he stood ready to help them. he was always the first to give way for his own interests to help others and to help others advance and to see that they were taken care of. >> sergeant care will be buried at arlington national cemetery. >>> a follow-up for you tonight on a bizarre house fire in leonard town last week. we first told you about this story last friday. police have arrested 22-year- old man. opal set fire to his mother's house after she kicked him out police say. he was found outside the burning home st

marine core and it's left many younger marines here feeling uncomfortable. >> we have to kind of play around and say here's the fight, let's go to it. >> reporter: captain martin believes the surge will eventually make it to now zad. >> our mission is to shape the battlefield at this point for future operations. >> reporter: in the meantime, his men get through it. >> another day, huh? another day. >> reporter: defending a ghost town in brutal conditions, their next step could well be their less. jim maceda, nbc news, now zad. >>> when our broadcast continues along the way here on a monday night, a new look at why time outdoors is so important for kids. >>> and later, back to school with a real-life health problem in the lesson plan this year. you might as well be. you see, their moisturizer sits on top of skin, almost as if you're wearing it. only new dove deep moisture has nutriummoisture, a breakthrough formula with natural moisturizers... that can nourish deep down. it's the most effective natural nourishment ever. new dove deep moisture with nutriummoisture. superior natural nour

marines now on the move. they are looking to free a town from taliban forces. >> we are on the offensive. shepard: tonight, the video you will see only on fox. >> pushing back at to the health care town halls and why the aarp says they are not on board yet. the issues are so important, they are about the health of our parents, children, ourselves. across america, lawmakers have been holding town hall meetings to talk about to the health-care plan. they are trying to create a health care system for uninsured americans. a lot of people are fired up on this. we put people on location in colorado, california, maryland, iowa, new jersey. we have noticed something in common at many of these meetings, it seems that with passions and tempers running so high that issues are drowned out by debate. just because people are yelling, it does not mean that they are getting their message across any more clear. >> i am here today because i believe in town hall meetings. shepard: this senator fielding questions and hearing acc

three marines are alive today because he covered a grenade with his body in 2004. his mother and one of the men whose life he saved say this is the perfect way to honor him. >> it reminds me the most about jason would think it is really cool to have his name on a ship. as a military person, the meaning is definitely there. as a mom, i'm having hard time because my son's not here. >> he's the reason i'm standing here in this interview. he's the reason i go home to my pregnant, beautiful wife and my 2-year-old daughter. if it wasn't for him, they wouldn't even exist. >> sergeant hampton and the other two marines suffered burns and shrapnel wounds from the explosion. >>> suppose were you in the middle of the country and you needed to be seen by a doctor, say in california. well, one doctor actually has a way to make that visit happen without either of you taking a trip. dr. sanjay gupta takes a look at some futuristic medicine in today's "vital signs." >> reporter: dr. chung regularly sees patients via the wireless robot. he can portal inside a patient's room from jus

in the name of a fallen marine. hear how much this means to his mother and those whose lives he saved. >>> and this -- yeah, that will wake you up. plug your ears. both are probably nursing scratchy throats after being in a competition for the loudest scream. you're watching hln sunday august 2nd. so glad you're with us. i'm susan hendricks. we start this morning with three americans who are being detained in iran. iran state-run media reports the americans crossed the border from iraq illegally. they were part of a group of hikers, apparently. a fourth hiker stayed in iraq because he felt sick. that is what the reports are. senior state department officials say they believe it. they believe the report. one of the americans detained is from pennsylvania and his mother spoke to cnn about her son. >> my husband and i are eager for the best welfare and conditions for our son josh and for the other two companions he's with. and that is our only concern, his welfare and the best conditions for him. >> we, of course, will

keeping faith with marines home for war. helping find work for those who served. >>> also tonight, it happened again. a planeful of passengers stuck on the tarmac, but why? "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television >>> good evening. today found president obama in mexico. a one-day, three-nation summit during a week with a lot going on. the president himself said today he had a lot on his plate. when asked about immigration reform, for example, he said, that should come later this year. but on health care, knowing that's the issue that awaits him back in washington, he said today he thinks reasoned arguments will actually emerge, and he thinks all of this noise going on at all of those town hall meetings across the country is a part of that process. we begin tonight with white house correspondent savannah guthrie. she's in guadalajara, mexico. savannah, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. this was a short summit. and the three leaders covered everything from the economy to energy to

the marines return to their original mission for the day. encouraging locals to vote in the elections. >> the 20th, time to vote. >> reporter: one after another, the villagers come up with reasons they couldn't make it to the poll. this man says the 12-mile road to the polling station is mined by the taliban. >> you gotta get out and vote. you gotta do a little sacrifice. >> reporter: while this man says the taliban told everyone here they will chop off your fingers. that's exactly what this taliban commander told cbs news in an exclusive interview. "if we find someone who has voting ink on his finger, we will cut his finger off," he said. the taliban is hoping to scare enough people away to destroy faith in the election results. voter turnout in southern helmund province, they predict, would fall to 10% from 68% in the last election. they couldn't scare everyone in helmund. some people in the village of dahaneh did get to cast their ballots. just days after marines wrestled control of the town from taliban fighters. further south, where ech

a marine unit made up of all females. stay with us. as many as 11 people were killed yesterday in fresh flooding in the country's southern provinces. heavy rains triggered landslides and destroyed roads. several apartment buildings slid down a hill. this comes in the wake of a typhoon that killed hundreds and left several,000 people homeless. >>> california officials are concerned that strong winds may start new fires and force more evacuations. governor schwarzenegger plans to get a look at the cause of the week-old fire that's charred more than 5,000 acres. the lieutenant governor has declared a state of emergency. nbc's michael oh cue reports. in a race against time more than 600 firefighters are trying to get control of the wildfire, within miles of a thousand homes. >> what makes it a difficult fire. >> the fuel, the terrain, the access all make it difficult. >> reporter: this one, fueled by erratic winds and acres of tinder-dry brush that hasn't burned in 65 years. officials say the blaze started near a religious retreat camp wed

marines storm a taliban stronghold in an effort to drive them out before the election. and the president calls them all agents of change as the awards of the highest civilian honor, the medal of freedom. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. >> couric: and good evening, everyone. the scene was repeated in one community after another all across america today-- citizens concerned about health care reform confronted their senators and representativesn i 27 townn meetings in 12 states. one by one, they expressed fear and anger over legislation now making its way through congress, and they demanded answers. some in the audience came well prepared with details of what's in the bill. but there is plenty of misinformation out there as wels y uwetrl to clear some of that up.tr we have three reports tonight from correspondents all around the country, and we begin with sharyl attkisson. >> reporter: in hagerstown, maryland, there were so many they couldn't all fit inside. in new jersey, they had to move to a bigger space to accommodate the u

three other marines are alive today because dunham covered an exploding grenade with his body in iraq in 2004. his mother and one of the men whose lives were saved said this is a perfect way to honor him. >> what it reminds me the most about is jason would think it was cool to have his name on a ship. as a military person, the meaning is definitely there. as a mom, i'm having a hard time because my son's not here. >> he's the reason i'm standing here in this interview. he's the reason i go home to my pregnant, beautiful wife and my 2-year-old daughter. and if it wasn't for him, they wouldn't -- they wouldn't even exist. wouldn't be here. >> sergeant hampton and the other two marines suffered burns and shrapnel wounds from the explosion. >>> if you ever posted your child's picture on facebook or personal blogs, listen up. a massachusetts couple says someone took their son's photo from their website, and used it in an adoption scam and she might never have known about it if a good samaritan hadn't alerted her. >>> a manhunt is under way in israel for a gunman who opened fire at a youth

he joined the marine corps, trying to make a difference. >> he impressed all of us. >> the marine sergeant, bill, killed thursday in afghanistan. a single gunshot and ended his life in an area of intense fighting for u.s. forces. >> it is a shock still, but he believed strongly in it. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- he cared about it. >> and longtime friend is done by his death. he reminisced about a life that -- turning point after 9/11. a congressional staffer and journalist, he joined the marines as a reservist in 2003. you don't want to serve two tours in iraq. he ran for congress in 2008 and last -- lost a primary. then, he returned to afghanistan as a member of a civil rights group. >> they shared stories about kids he touched, their lives. there were pictures. >> the area where he was killed was a the taliban stronghold. he told his friends that despite the trouble, he felt he was mang a difference. >> he was a hero. he did it. >> he is survived by his wife and two unborn daughters that are due in early december. friends are trying to establish a me

the marines continue meeting resistance from the taliban. about 500 u.s. and afghan troops exchanged heavy fire with insurgents near a town that has been under taliban control for years now. the marines are fighting to gain control of the strategic area but also hope to cut taliban supply lines. additional marine units are meeting heavy fire as they try to be rouz the taliban from surrounding pointtance. a news photographer embedded with the marines shot video of this particular battle. >>> amateur photographer in london happened to be on the scene of a jewelry heist last week. he was just shooting a basic street scene in london's upscale may fair district last thursday when all this started happening. two robbers came out of a jewelry store dragging a hostage. blond store clerk in a white coat which you might be able to see there. someone yelled call the police. robbers fired a shot and the hostage was released moments later. the robbers managed to get away with 43 expensive pces of jewelry and no one was injured. >>> when "news4 at 6:00" returns, a crack

a marine assault this morning. 400 u.s. marines and 100 afghan soiers, backed by helicopters and fighter jets, in helmand province in southern afghanistan. the mission to drive the taliban from the town, so locals can vote here next thursday. but the taliban stood and fought. in this militant and opium-struggling stronghold. opium-smuggling stronghold. for eight hours, firing from rooftops and courtyard with mortars, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. for seven weeks, 10,000 u.s. marines have been trying to take back southern afghanistan, a town at a time. >> by liberating the town, we freed the local populus from the influence of the taliban. but nearly half of afghanistan remains at high risk of a taliban attack. >> the taliban is fighting for two things they very much need -- access to the public and control of the public. and access to the drug industry where they get a significant part of their funding. and in the east and south. we're challenging both of those things. >> reporter: the afghan government

why i joined the marine corps. now we are here. and i do not know why. >> although it is hard to get the local people inside, especially when there is still fighting, the commander is sure that he can succeed. >> by the winter time the taliban will be on their heels, wondering what to do next. >> the echo company is here for another five months. what happens in that time could define the war in afghanistan, the people of the province, and the presidency of barack obama. >> cairo is one of the most congested cities in the world. the egyptian capital has over 18 million inhabitants. authorities think that they might have found the answer, introducing river taxis on the nile to introduce commuters to take to the water. christian frazier reports. >> for generations these elegant people have plied their trade across the internet waters of the nile, ferrying cargo from one side to the other. today, more map -- more modern tactics have seen these boats fall into disrepair. there are only 15 in operation on this 20 caller river network. >>

three marines from that unit have already died.even more have been seriously injured, to the point where no marine goes outside the wire. you saw that nighttime shots, without tourniquets, one strapped to each leg, or without two armored ambulances as well, always carrying fresh blood. not plasma, but fresh blood. that gives you an idea what these specific marines are up against. >> it's a powerful image. nbc's jim maceda, thank you so much for your report. >>> what political story will make headlines in the next 24 hours? that's next on msnbc, the place for politics. into an incredibly strong, healthy cat. his coat is incredibly shiny and soft and very thick. everybody thinks he's the most handsome cat they've ever seen. [ woman announcing ] purina one for indoor cats... unlocks the brilliance of nature... with a natural fiber blend that helps minimize hairballs... and maintain a healthy weight. [ laurie ] he's a character. he brings so much laughter into this household. and he's the best-lookin' cat there is. [ announcer ] it's a

marines stormed into the taliban-held down in southern helmand province. the first u.s. troops ever to set foot in this taliban stronghold. >> we're on the offense now so the defense is going to get out. >> get up, man, get up! >> reporter: the taliban had no intention of giving up this strategic base easily. intense fighting went on for eight hours. taliban gunmen firing back from hidden positions on rooftops and courtyards. their resistance was so strong, the marines say the militants must have known they were coming. >> exactly, right there, yeah. >> you'll see him. >> reporter: ramming their trucks through walls, marines broke into a suspected taliban compound, looking for weapons and drugs. 66 pounds of opium were seized. not surprising in this town. it is vital to the taliban's drug-running operations here in opium-rich helmand province. >> by liberating ghana, we free the local populace from the influence of the taliban. they're able to go about their daily lives without being faced with murder. >> reporter: and, the marines are hoping, being able to vote in next

we begin with a local marine killed in afghanistan. his family and friends are now sharing his story. they say after the september 11th attacks, he felt compared to serve. he found his calling in the marine corps, darcy spencer reports. >> reporter: 40-year-old bill care, a marine corps sergeant was killed in the line of duty thursday while fighting in afghanistan. john kair is his father. >> we're just devastated with the loss. he was a wonderful young man. he's a son that every mother and father would love to have. >> reporter: a close friend says care was deployed to afghanistan in the spring, and tha care was shots while on an armed foot patrol in the helmand province. he was assigned to the fourth civil affairs group, a marine unit based in the district. he lived in alexandria, with his wife, rene brown, who is expecting twins in december. >> we're putting one foot in front of another. we're all just demolished by it. but there are those glimmers. >> debra howe, a former d.c. bureau chief where care worked as a reporter. she said

marines are battling the taliban.ut nato forces are pulling back now to protect voters in thursday's presidential election. >>> and here at home, growing concern that not enough swine flu vaccine can be made in time to head off an expected fall resurgence of the deadly h1n1 virus. >>> now to healthcare reform. much of the debate so far has focused on the so-called public option, establishing a government-run health insurance program. but if that's a nonstarter politically, the obama administration may well choose a middle road. nancy cordes reports. >> i can't think of a single program that the government does and does it well, and this scares the hell out of me. >> reporter: it's no wonder many americans are perplexed about a public option or confused by co-ops, when even lawmakers struggle to explain them. >> if it were a plan, it wouldn't be an option. >> reporter: the public option, as proposed, would be run by the department of health and human services, which also oversees medicare. with lower administrative cos

marines fight taliban militants in a key town in southern afghanistan. the offensive is part of an effort to increase security ahead of next week's afghan presidential elections. the marines say taliban fighters were well-prepared for the assault, making them believe someone may have found out that they were coming. no marine casualties have been reported so far. >>> secretary of state clinton in liberia today, during a speech in nigeria yesterday secretary clinton was talking about that country's problems with corruption and rigged elections. then she made a comparison to a certain election he in the u.s. >> our democracy is still evolving. we had all kinds of problems in some of our past elections, as you might remember. in 2000, our presidential election came down to one state where the brother of the man running for president was the governor of state, so we have our problems, too. >> aides say she was simply making a point about how candidates should accept election results even if the vote is flawed. >>> second clinton's husband, the former preside

marines in afghanistan try to keep the peace and get out the vote. ( music, toasters popping ) ♪ mmm.blueberry?!? ♪ over 25 flavors of kellogg's pop-tarts®. and they're all for fun and fun for all. pop-tarts®. made for fun™. come on. good girl.] mollie's never looked better. i really was amazed to see the change in her coat. people stop us when we're walking, and they'll say, "did you shine up her spots?" [ woman announcing ] just another way purina one... unlocks the brilliance of nature... to transform the life of your dog. for us to see the difference in mollie-- we were really excited about it. it just makes you feel wonderful. [ announcer ] it's amazing what one can do. >>> on the "cbs morning news," here's a look at today's weather. thunderstorms will be developing throughout the east. the south will see a stormy day. it will be cool and gray around the great lakes, and it will be sunny from the plains to the pacific. >>> here's another look at this morning's top stories. monday night is the end of the road for the cash for clunkers program. dealers may be busy this weekend as b

they issued the order yesterday preventing marines from logging on to facebook, myspace and