A U.S. Marine patrols down a road on
April 1, 2009 in Now Zad in Helmand province Afghanistan. Taliban
fighters have laid IEDs throughout the abandoned city, and U.S. forces
there usually patrol behind a mine sweeper in single file or 'Ranger
file' to avoid stepping on the hidden explosives. The civilian
population fled the city during previous fighting, leaving a ghost
town, now a battle ground between Taliban fighters and U.S. Marines
from Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. (Photo by John
Moore/Getty Images)
--Michael Crowley