KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN—After U.S. Marines secured several government centers, markets, and fuel depots in Kandahar Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that the Afghan city had been liberated from the Taliban until the inevitable withdrawal of U.S. forces results in the Islamic extremists once more regaining control. "This is a great temporary and ultimately shallow victory for us and for the citizens of Kandahar," Gen. Alan Smith said. "America is committed to momentarily displacing extremism until such a time that the world is no longer paying attention to our occupation and we can go home." Gen. Smith went on to say that the training of the Afghan police force and army was also a success, boasting a 15 percent rate of soldiers not defecting to the Taliban as soon as they had weapons.