Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., sharply opposed American military action in Syria on Fox News Thursday night, demanding that President Obama get congressional approval should he choose to act.

“Without question Congress should vote on this and he is going against the Constitution and it will be an unlawful act if he actually takes military action without having Congress vote on the issue,” Paul explained, reminding Americans that the separation of powers intended by the founders was to prevent the United States from going to war for emotional reasons.

Paul said that Obama would probably decide against a Congressional vote to avoid a similar defeat as David Cameron did in British Parlimant.

“They won’t risk a vote because they are worried that they could be defeated,” he said. “It happened in the British Parliament – the American people are not excited about a new war.”

Paul also explained that he had difficulty seeing any American interests in the Syrian conflict.

“I can’t see fighting to impose Sharia law in Syria,” Paul said. “I can’t see sending my son to fight with Islamic rebels against Christians. I also can’t see my son going to fight on the same side as al Qaeda.”

Under Sharia law, Paul noted, Christians would be persecuted for blasphemy, citing a woman in Pakistan who was jailed for blasphemy after she drank from a cup shared by Muslim workers.

“That is not something I want to send our boys and girls to die for,” Paul added.