Iraq training 1,000 new forces per week

BAGHDAD — U.S. officials said the Iraqi security forces have more than 212,000 trained and equipped soldiers and police.

They said the military was training and deploying soldiers and police at a rate of nearly 1,000 per week.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, said 120 Iraq Army and police battalions have joined the war against Sunni insurgents. Lynch said 25 percent of the battalions were able to take the lead on counter-insurgency operations. Read on...