The former US presidential candidate was in Libya last week and vigorously supports international airstrikes targeting Libyan leader’s Muammar Qaddafi’s forces.

McCain says that in Syria, however, “I don’t see a way that we could intervene militarily.” In an interview on France-24 television Thursday, he said, “I think it would be very risky and I don’t know if we could stop the terrible ... behavior of (Syrian President) Bashar Assad.” McCain, on a visit to Paris this week, urged sanctions and pressure by the UN Security Council.

More than 450 people have been killed across Syria in the crackdown.