Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made the case in Washington that the Iraqi people won't accept coalition boots on the ground in the fight to defeat Islamic State militants.
"The destruction of ISIL requires a military solution - it requires boots on the ground," Mr Turnbull said in a keynote speech to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Monday afternoon (US time).
"But they must be the right boots on the right ground."
The recent retaking of Ramadi was a prime example of how the Iraqi army leadership, assisted by the coalition's respective air and special forces, was "the right combination", the prime minister argued.
The US-led coalition's efforts appear to be paying off with IS-held territory shrinking by about 40 per cent from its maximum expansion in Iraq in 2015.
Mr Turnbull is in Washington for a two-day official visit to the US, after making an unannounced detour to Iraq and Afghanistan over the weekend.
The prime minister is set to share his insights from the Middle East trip with US Defense Secretary Ash Carter after a ceremonial welcome on Monday morning.
He'll meet President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
Mr Turnbull paid a visit to Afghanistan President Dr Ashraf Ghani at the presidential palace in Kabul on Sunday just hours before the neighbouring Italian embassy compound came under a rocket attack.
In Iraq, Mr Turnbull met with Australian defence personnel training Iraqi forces as well as the country's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
It's understood Mr al-Abadi has a strong view that coalition forces should not take a greater role beyond the wire.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed reportedly favours additional boots on the ground coming from the region.
Canberra has formally rejected what Mr Turnbull described as a "form letter" US request for increased military contributions from its coalition partners.
Australia has 780 defence personnel deployed in the Middle East providing training and conducting air strikes over Iraq and Syria.
With last week's bloodshed in Jakarta fresh on his mind, Mr Turnbull will acknowledge that the Islamic State's declaration of a caliphate was a powerful marketing tool.
It attracts supporters to the Middle East region and inspires attacks at home.
"The destruction of their self-styled caliphate would help to counter its narrative of inevitable victory and is therefore an important element in securing Australians and Americans at home and abroad," the PM will tell the think-tank.
Mr Turnbull says coalition countries should not be so delicate as to say IS and its ilk have nothing to do with Islam.
But equally it's important to avoid tagging all Muslims with responsibility for the crimes of a tiny criminal minority, Mr Turnbull will say.
"That is precisely what the extremists want us to do."
PM honours fallen US troops
Mr Turnbull visited the Arlington War Cemetery in the US capital on Monday morning (US time).
A 19-gun salute boomed out over thousands of white stone war graves, some still with Christmas wreaths.
There were 277 US defence personnel, carrying bayonets attached to rifles and sabres, forming a guard of honour for the prime minister, as well as a 39-member military band.
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Major General Bradley A Becker, commanding general of the US Army military district of Washington, accompanied Mr Turnbull up the steps to the tomb of unknown soldiers.
Three US soldiers carried the Australian flag behind the trio.
With bare, gloveless hands on a cold winter's morning, Mr Turnbull hung a floral wreath on a stand in front of the tomb and put his hand over his heart in a moment of quiet reflection.
The national anthems of America and Australia were supposed to be played, however that protocol was swiftly abandoned because of the bitter cold.
It was -7C but felt like -15C with the windchill factor.
Mr Turnbull briefly toured a museum of war photographs and artefacts and shook hands with a US serviceman.
He was presented with a crystal replica of the Tomb of the Unknowns and a copy of the Arlington National Cemetery book, Where Valor Rests.
The prime minister presented the museum with gifts from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra: a coin collection commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Anzac campaign and a book celebrating 100 years of the Australian and American military alliance.
"From our war memorial to you in recognition of our service and history together," Mr Turnbull said.
The military bells and whistles ceremonial welcome continued for Mr Turnbull outside the Pentagon, where he and Mr Carter held bilateral talks.
Global security and military efforts to defeat Islamic State are set to dominate talks during Mr Turnbull's two-day official visit in the US.
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