Send special forces to fight terror: Leahy

Australia should send special forces soldiers to Islamic State strongholds to destroy terrorists before they can launch attacks, a former army chief says.

"We need a more robust approach to interdict and destroy terrorist base areas, training sites and support infrastructure," Peter Leahy writes in The Australian on Monday.

He acknowledges the move would have very difficult international and domestic implications but says forces cannot "sit back as terrorists enhance their skills and plot against us".