Menendez: Prosecute Assad for War Crimes

Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Syrian President Bashar Assad should be prosecuted for war crimes for the recent chemical attack on civilians.

Referring to a statement by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday that Assad has committed crimes against humanity, Menendez urged the U.N. to pursue those charges against the Syrian leader.

Menendez told NBC's "Meet the Press" the Obama administration's deal is "full of opportunities but fraught with danger," and warned that Assad could use the negotiation period to buy more time on the battlefield "and continue to ravage innocent civilians."

Although the deal with Russia continues to be negotiated, Menendez urged Congress to keep military force on the table as an option to remove chemical weapons from Assad's control.