Iraqi FM formally requests New Zealand military help to fight Islamic State

The Iraqi government on Friday formally requested New Zealand military assistance in the fight against Islamic State insurgents, a request that looks set to be granted.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr Ibrahim al-Ja'afari made the request at a meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully during a one-day visit to Auckland, Radio New Zealand reported.

According to the report, al-Ja'afari told a press conference that help could come in the form of training, logistics or information sharing.

McCully said New Zealand would now talk with Australia about the possibility of sending training troops to Iraq.

Al-Ja'afari was also due to hold talks with Prime Minister John Key and Defense Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Key has repeatedly ruled out New Zealand troops being involved in combat, and said that if troops were sent they would train Iraqi troops only.

The announcement has fueled the controversy over the move, which political opponents say was planned and decided months ago.

"We would be going into someone else's war with almost nothing to add to its conclusion, but with enormous risk to the safety of our troops and the safety of New Zealanders around the world," Green Party global affairs spokesperson Kennedy Graham said in a statement.

"The United States wasn't able to train the Iraqi army in over 10 years; we must ask ourselves what can the New Zealand army do that the U.S. couldn't."

The opposition New Zealand First party leader, Winston Peters, said al-Ja'afari's visit was confirmation that the government had agreed on a troop commitment long ago.

"It would be a diplomatic blunder on both sides if the Iraqi minister came here and New Zealand turned him down," Peters said in a statement. Endi