WASHINGTON - Amid renewed violence in Iraq, the US Defence Department is trying to figure out how many troops should stay and when some of the longest-serving can go home.

　　No changes in troop strength are planned immediately, particularly while coalition forces are on an offensive to crush fighters who have been increasingly making deadly attacks on American and British forces.

　　Among troops hoping to be finished with Iraq duty are those of the 3rd Infantry Division who have been deployed in the region since last September.

　　They had expected to leave a month ago, but their departure was put on hold because of continued violence and lawlessness. Since that decision was made, attacks on coalition forces have become worse.

　　Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has asked commanders to give him a report on the length of time units have been deployed, what rotations are planned, when international forces can be brought in to replace some of the Americans, and how many and what kind of troops are still needed in postwar Iraq.

　　He said he expects the report within the next two weeks.

　　Also affecting the decision on troop strength will be the needs of the commander overseeing the so-far unsuccessful search for weapons of mass destruction, Rumsfeld said. The Bush administration said finding and destroying the weapons was the main reason for the war that overthrew the regime of President Saddam Hussein.

　　Up to 20,000 international soldiers, to be led by Poland and Britain, will begin flowing into Iraq this month - arriving through to September - said General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a press conference with Rumsfeld on July 1.

　　More international troops are being sought.

　　"The more there are, the fewer of US troops we have to have," Rumsfeld said, adding that he didn't know yet whether commanders will say they need more or fewer people in the total coalition in coming months.

　　"But whatever it is, we will fill in with as many international forces as we can, and we will then be able to rotate some of our forces out and give them a rest."

　　Myers said there are just under 150,000 US troops and a little over 12,000 coalition troops in Iraq.

　　The US months ago asked nations for contributions to the war, including 70 countries that were asked to contribute stabilization troops. Only 24 have committed to do so and talks continue with a dozen others, officials said.

　　They refused to name the countries or say exactly what they are contributing. But NATO sources said last month that they include Hungary, Bulgaria, Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Ukraine, Slovakia, Denmark and Italy, with some sending as few as several hundred troops and others sending 1,000 or 2,000.