Iraq to increase troop strength

BAGHDAD, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Iraq's Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Tuesday he planned to increase the size of its army from 100,000 to more than 150,000 to fight the insurgents.

Allawi said the Iraqi Defense Ministry had re-established a military academy "and other institutions to deal with training issues" for the additional troops, the New York Times reported.

"We all know that the evil terrorist powers try to destroy the Iraqi structure and economic facilities, and attack the oil facilities," Allawi told Iraqi soldiers, police officers and reporters in Baghdad.

"We have to back up the role of the police and expand recruitment to police; we have to increase security protection teams and deploy these forces all over the country."