The retired four-star US Army general who was sent to assess operations in Iraq has concluded that US troops must speed up and strengthen the training of Iraqi security forces, the New York Times reported Sunday.

General Gary E. Luck was sent to Iraq two weeks ago and suggested sending thousands of additional military advisers to work directly with Iraqi units.

The general largely endorsed a plan by US commanders in Iraq toshift the military's main mission after the Jan. 30 elections fromfighting the insurgency to training Iraq's military and police forces to take over those security and combat duties, the paper quoted senior defense and military officials as saying.

The aim of strengthening the training of Iraqi forces was to make them become more self-reliant, eventually allowing US forces to withdraw, the report said.

The US military would double or even triple the number of trainers present at work with Iraqi security forces, up to as manyas 8,000 or 10,000, the report added.

Luck was recommending that as Iraqis take on more security responsibilities, US forces will be freed up to be quick-reaction forces to back up the Iraqis or to help tighten Iraq's border, especially with Syria and Saudi Arabia.

He was also expected to recommend that US and other allied military officials fill several advisers positions in the Iraqi defense and interior ministries, the report said. Enditem