Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a thug and a murderer and his regime's use of chemical weapons against its own people warrants a response, Foreign Minister Bob Carr says.
The United States is weighing "limited, narrow" action against Syria, and insists the world has a duty to act after hundreds of women and children were gassed to death.
Senator Carr says Australia is prepared to support the US but does not expect to make a commitment itself given the US has said there will be no boots on the ground and no long-term campaign.
"We think that if a government in this day and age uses chemical weapons against innocent men, women and children, it deserves a response," Senator Carr told reporters on Saturday.
"I have looked at the footage of those youngsters wondering ... what had happened to them, as they displayed the neurotoxic symptoms of the gas attack, what leader other than a thug and a murderer can approve that sort of assault on children."
Senator Carr did not believe the US would risk a larger regional response with any action.
"I think the US will be weighing the possibility of unintended consequences very carefully," he said.
"This isn't about changing the regime in Syria, it's not about aligning America with the rebels. It's going to be a swift and narrow response.
"America's entitled to receive support from us and the prime minister (Kevin Rudd) has indicated, America will."
Mr Rudd has also reiterated his warning for Australians to get "the hell out" of Syria.
"I emphasise again. If there are any Australians currently in Syria just to get the hell out of there. It is not the time to be fooling around," he said on Saturday.
Mr Rudd said it was critical for Australians in the Middle East to pay attention to Australian government travel advisories.
Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne told reporters she did not support the idea of Australia taking presidency of the UN Security Council "and then trying to go around the security council to back a pre-emptive strike by the United States".
Opposition leader Tony Abbott has accused Kevin Rudd of exaggerating Australia's role in the Syrian crisis and Mr Rudd has hit back, accusing his opponent of a lack of foreign policy experience.
Senator Milne said which ever one of them becomes prime minister next weekend is going to have an added level of responsibility with the Security Council and presidency of the G20.
"That means Australia has an unprecedented level of involvement and influence," she told reporters in Sydney.
"We've not seen Tony Abbott's capacity in that regard but I'm not going to condemn either of them in that regard because I think everybody knows Australia has to step up."
