STEEP, BUT WORTH THE CLIMB:

New Iraq officers on sharp learning curve (Mark John, 1/30/06, Reuters)

They are ex-software engineers, physics teachers or school-leavers with a yearning to be soldiers. And in a year's time, they will be the officer class and hope-bearers of the new Iraqi army.

Recruits to the Iraqi Military Academy in the suburb of Rustamiya in southeast Baghdad may be on a steep learning curve. But their determination to serve their country is unswerving.

"This will be my coffin," said one young student, patting his body armour and voicing his ambition to dive into the fight against insurgents. Like other trainees, he declined to be named to protect himself and his family from possible reprisals.

The success of the Rustamiya compound, staffed by a mix of U.S.-led coalition and NATO trainers, could be crucial in determining how quickly U.S. forces can hand over responsibility for security to domestic Iraqi forces and withdraw troops.