This forum is becoming useless by the minute.. KEVIN Rudd is...

This forum is becoming useless by the minute..

KEVIN Rudd is suspending his campaign today to attend a national security briefing in Canberra on the unfolding chemical weapons crisis in Syria.

The Prime Minister said in Sydney this morning he was aware of media reports that the US was readying missile strikes on Syrian government forces, but said Australia would not rush into responding.

"Let us not get the cart before the horse," he said. "These things have to be undertaken in a calm and measured fashion."

Under the caretaker conventions that apply during the election campaign period Tony Abbott would be offered a parallel national security briefing.

Mr Rudd said he was not in a position to advise the Opposition Leader what he should do.

Mr Abbott told media in Adelaide it was "entirely appropriate" for the Prime Minister to receive briefings and that he was happy to be briefed also. The Coalition's foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop would be briefed tomorrow by the department.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/rudd-halts-campaigning-for-national-security-meeting-on-syria/story-fn9qr68y-1226703274257