Iraqis won't be ready for Islamic State fight by spring: Intel officials

Iraqi forces will not be ready for an offensive against Islamic State forces in Mosul by the spring, U.S. intelligence officials told Congress Thursday.

U.S. Central Command said last week that it was training and equipping up to 25,000 Iraqis to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic State by April or May. On Wednesday it announced that it was speeding $17 million in equipment to the new trainees, including 250 mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles and 10,000 M-16 rifles.