President Barack Obama on Tuesday reiterated his position that the United States would not attack Syria to stop the bloodshed in the embattled country, DPa reported.
While the Syrian government's crackdown on the opposition is "outrageous," the US will not act unilaterally to unseat President Bashar al-Assad, Obama said.
Any decision to take military action is not to be taken lightly, he said.
"There is a price to pay," Obama said, referring to US troops who have died or sustained debilitating, lifelong injuries in the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The statements came after US Senator John McCain on Monday called for US airstrikes against the Syrian regime.