Washington, Aug 25: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has floated a list of ideas for increasing the military's fighting power without adding more troops, US media reported. A Time Magazine article said Rumsfeld, whose commitment to transforming the US Military into a lighter, more agile fighting force is well known, is circulating a memo among his senior staff detailing 40 ways to boost military efficiency.

One idea is to hire civilians to take over some administrative work now being done by soldiers. This would free up the soldiers for combat-related duties, according to Time's story, which was based on an interview with Rumsfeld. The New York Times reported separately that other ideas raised include changes in military planning, such as relaxing the long-standing practice of earmarking forces in the United States for specific regional war zones.

Several members of Congress have called for an urgent increase in the number of troops in Iraq in the aftermath of Tuesday's bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad and other attacks.

There are also concerns that US troops are stretched too thin with trying to stabilize post-war Iraq and quell violence in Afghanistan, among a myriad other commitments. Rumsfeld has stuck to his view that there is no need to send more troops to Iraq right now. Bureau Report