Keeping Kiwi troops out of combat situations in Iraq is being described as impossible.

The Government's confirmed its plans to send 143 New Zealanders there in May, in what it calls non-combat training roles.

But Professor Kevin Clements of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies says it's almost certain they'll end up in combat.

"The Canadians deployed their people on that basis about a year ago and they were immediately embroiled in combat and they moved very rapidly from a training programme to a combat and training programme."

Kevin Clements says on this deployment, the small number of trainers - 16 - and the large number of protectors is telling of the sort of situation they're entering.

Meanwhile, the safety of our troops in Iraq is being questioned, as they prepare for deployment in May.

The Government has made assurances that, with the use of force protection tactics, the troops will be relatively safe.

But Robert Ayson, professor of strategic studies at Victoria University, says that can't be true.

"They cannot guarantee 100 percent safety in this sort of situation. I think the use of the word safe is in itself a little bit questionable I guess."

Victoria University professor of strategic studies, Robert Ayson, says the Government has put itself into a box of its own making.

"It ruled out very early on a combat mission. It ruled the use of the spec forces so effectively what we're left with is we're going to make a military contribution as a training mission."

Robert Ayson says that allows Labour to continue opposing the military action, on the basis that other countries have failed in their training missions.