Syrian war between unsavoury sides: Abbott

Kevin Rudd says Tony Abbott's "baddies versus baddies" comment raises questions about his judgement. Source: AAP

OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott says Syria's civil war involves "two pretty much equally unsavoury sides" and Australia should be cautious of making a bad situation worse.

Mr Abbott says elements of the Syrian rebel forces are "highly influenced by al-Qaeda" but the Bashar al-Assad regime's use of chemical weapons against its own people is an "unspeakable abomination".

"That's why I say frankly it's a civil war between two pretty much equally unsavoury sides," he told ABC Television's 730 on Monday.

"We've got to be very careful dealing in a powder keg like the Middle East that we don't take action, well-intentioned action, which could end up making a bad situation worse."

Mr Abbott said it was unlikely Australia would be called on to provide military advice or technology to the Syrian rebel forces because Australia doesn't have the capacity needed for the type of intervention the United States is considering.

Earlier on Monday Mr Abbott came under fire from Labor for his weekend description of the Syrian conflict as "baddies versus baddies".

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Gladstone on Monday the situation involving the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons against civilians was not a trivial matter.

"Mr Abbott ... trivialises what is a major foreign policy, international relations and national security question," he said.

"The last time I used the term 'goodies and baddies' was when I was playing cowboys and indians in the backyard.

"I think I stopped doing that about the age of 10."

Mr Abbott said British Prime Minister David Cameron and former US president Bill Clinton had used similar language on Syria.

He said using occasional colloquialisms was appropriate in explaining complex situations to the public.

Mr Abbott also said it was unlikely Australia would take in Syrian asylum seekers.

He said people fleeing the conflict could go to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey or Iraq first.

"Almost certainly if people were fleeing the Syrian conflict, they would not be coming to Australia as a country of first asylum," Mr Abbott said.

"Any person fleeing Syria landing up in Australia would be in much the same position as the Hazaras and others who are coming by boat."

The coalition policy is that asylum seekers arriving by boat will be processed offshore.

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