President Barack Obama will lay out a new Afghanistan strategy on Friday that calls for more U.S. troops and civilian officials and increased aid to combat militants along the ungoverned Pakistan border, officials said. The final recommendations are still under wraps, but they also are expected to call for increasing Afghan security forces and bolstering the country's fragile local and national governments. Obama vowed Tuesday that the U.S. will "stay on the offensive" to dismantle terrorist operations in Afghanistan. The much-anticipated new roadmap, as described by administration officials in recent days, is likely to stress that military might alone cannot win the war and that any strategy also must include a stronger partnership with Pakistan to tame the ungoverned border region. Getty Images photographer, John Moore, filed these pictures last week of U.S. Marines patrolling and living in Afghanistan. (26 images)
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A U.S. Marine CH-53 transport helicopter flies over the rugged terrain of Farah province March 17, in southwestern Afghanistan. The Marines, who expanded into the area last November, are soon to be joined by thousands more American troops as part of an additional 17,000 U.S. forces being sent to the war. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine mans a machine gun on a CH-53 transport helicopter while flying over the town of Bakwa in Farah Province March 17, in southwestern Afghanistan. U.S. Marines, who expanded into the area last November, are soon to be joined by thousands more American troops as part of an additional 17,000 U.S. forces being sent to the war. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine from India Company of the 3rd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment prepares to convoy through the countryside March 17, in Delaram, Farah province of southwestern Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines from India Company of the 3rd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment convoy through a cloud of dust in Farah Province March 17, in southwestern Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines prepare to search a rural compound March 19, in Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment based in the remote village are battling a Taliban insurgency funded in large part from the multi-billion dollar drug export trade thriving in the south of the country. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine pauses while searching an abandoned compound on March 19, in Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine searches an abandoned Afghan home on March 19, near Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine uses a metal detector to search for roadside bombs while on patrol on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine sights an approaching civilian while on patrol on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jason St. Germain listens as an Afghan farmer speaks through a military translator on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jason St. Germain listens as an Afghan opium farmer speaks through a military translator on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
A U.S. Marine from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment patrols past an opium poppy field on March 19, near the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province in southwest Afghanistan. The 3/ 8 Marines are battling a Taliban insurgency funded in large part from the multi-billion dollar drug export trade thriving in the south of the country. Getty Images / John Moore
An Afghan opium farmer stands next to his poppy field on March 19, in the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
An Afghan boy stands in his family's opium poppy field on March 19, near the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines check the identification of an Afghan farmer on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines search an abandoned compound March 19, near Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines search a civilian who they stopped while on patrol on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines search an abandoned Afghan home adorned with European tourist posters on March 19, in Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Sgt. Jason St. Germain prepares to lead a patrol on March 19, at the remote village of Baqwa in Farah province of southwest Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment prepare to move from near Delaram to a new outpost on March 17, in Farah province of southwestern Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Lcpl. Nick Wyall helps to unload bottled water from a supply convoy at the Marine base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. In recent months Wyall and fellow Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment secured a strategic road through the province which has opened the remote military base to resupply. The base was provisioned with extra supplies of food and water ahead of "fighting season" due to begin following the upcoming opium poppy harvest. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Lcpl. Nick Wyall helps to unload bottled water from a supply convoy at the Marine base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. In recent months Wyall and fellow Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment secured a strategic road through the province which has opened the remote military base to resupply. The base was provisioned with extra supplies of food and water ahead of "fighting season" due to begin following the upcoming opium poppy harvest. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines pass cases of bottled water from a supply convoy at the Marine base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marines pass boxes of mail which arrived on a supply convoy to the Marine base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
U.S. Marine Cpl. Robbie Keisler (R) prepares to tow a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle after it was damaged by a roadside bomb near the Marine base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
Afghan interpreters for U.S. Marines throw a frisbee at sunset while at their base in the village of Baqwa on March 20, in Farah province, Afghanistan. Getty Images / John Moore
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