A U.S. Marine from 5th Battalion 10th Marines patrols with a member of an Afghan border guard unit in the desert of the lower Helmand River valley, in southern Afghanistan July 1, 2009. The United States has sent 8,500 troops to Helmand Province in the past two months, the biggest wave in a massive buildup that will see U.S. forces more than double from 32,000 at the beginning of this year to 68,000 by year's end. REUTERS/ Peter Graff