WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says he’s against any direct U.S. military involvement in violence-ravaged Syria.

Powell calls the killings tragic, but says there’s little the United States can do to stop it.

Additional Photos

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell is seen in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, May 31, 2012, during a ceremony to unveil the official portraits of former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) AP

Powell tells CBS “This Morning” he thinks “it is really a civil war.”

But the retired Army general says “I don’t know that there is much the United States can do except work with the international community.”

He says, “The question always comes down to, is someone going to intervene. I don’t think we can do this. … I don’t sense any energy to do that.”

Powell also says “there are lots of countries that are having these kinds of internal civil wars in other parts of the world and nobody is talking about intervening.”