Muslim troops could help Iraq: Wilkie

Muslim countries and not Australia should be committing boots on the ground in Iraq, federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie says.

Australia will send 300 troops to Iraq to help train the local military for the fight against islamic State.

Mr Wilkie says Iraq needs to be able to find its natural political order.

"It will not find (it)... while a regime is propped up by western troops," he said on Tuesday.

Instead Australia should be encouraging Muslim countries in the Middle East and Asia to deploy soldiers.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne has moved to bring about a debate in the Senate on the latest troop deployment, arguing it should be put to a vote of parliament.