However, given the military response of Assad against the protesters, they said, "the response of the United States and the international community has not been commensurate with the evils taking place in Syria." 

They urged Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to publicly call for him to step down, and they said other measures should be considered, like expelling Assad's U.S. ambassador. 

Graham, on CBS' "Face the Nation," also recommended an international aid effort for the Syrian people -- and more regional cooperation overall, while keeping military force on the table. 

But with the U.S. expected to spend more than $800 million by September on Libya and Defense Secretary Robert Gates publicly criticizing NATO partners for not doing enough, there may be little appetite in Washington for opening up another military front for America's stretched forces. 

The House of Representatives earlier this month chided Obama for his handling of the Libya operation, and the Senate is considering doing the same. 

Retired Gen. Jack Keane, former vice chief of staff for the Army and a Fox News military analyst, said the military option should be on the table but that the U.S. can apply pressure elsewhere to "isolate" the Assad regime. 

"They have business interests around the world. There's ... lots of pressure we can bring to bear," he said. "It would not change the immediate behavior of the Assad family in terms of preserving the regime, but it would create fractures and fissures in those that are supporting them." 

Keane said authoritarian regimes in the Middle East have drawn a dangerous lesson from the turmoil in the region -- in Egypt, Hosni Mubarak succumbed to protesters' demands and resigned; in Libya, Qaddafi sought to "clear the streets at all costs," he said. 

"Obviously, Mubarak fell. They look at that and say to themselves, 'clear the street at all costs.'" Keane said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/13/lawmakers-call-for-increased-pressure-on-syria-as-crackdown-escalates/#ixzz1PClwMNmd

However, given the military response of Assad against the protesters, they said, "the response of the United States and the international community has not been commensurate with the evils taking place in Syria." 

They urged Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to publicly call for him to step down, and they said other measures should be considered, like expelling Assad's U.S. ambassador. 

Graham, on CBS' "Face the Nation," also recommended an international aid effort for the Syrian people -- and more regional cooperation overall, while keeping military force on the table. 

But with the U.S. expected to spend more than $800 million by September on Libya and Defense Secretary Robert Gates publicly criticizing NATO partners for not doing enough, there may be little appetite in Washington for opening up another military front for America's stretched forces. 

The House of Representatives earlier this month chided Obama for his handling of the Libya operation, and the Senate is considering doing the same. 

Retired Gen. Jack Keane, former vice chief of staff for the Army and a Fox News military analyst, said the military option should be on the table but that the U.S. can apply pressure elsewhere to "isolate" the Assad regime. 

"They have business interests around the world. There's ... lots of pressure we can bring to bear," he said. "It would not change the immediate behavior of the Assad family in terms of preserving the regime, but it would create fractures and fissures in those that are supporting them." 

Keane said authoritarian regimes in the Middle East have drawn a dangerous lesson from the turmoil in the region -- in Egypt, Hosni Mubarak succumbed to protesters' demands and resigned; in Libya, Qaddafi sought to "clear the streets at all costs," he said. 

"Obviously, Mubarak fell. They look at that and say to themselves, 'clear the street at all costs.'" Keane said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/13/lawmakers-call-for-increased-pressure-on-syria-as-crackdown-escalates/#ixzz1PClwMNmd