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Every American should watch the discussion between Kerry and Paul at Tuesday's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. Kerry was authoritative, commanding and clear. Paul was confused, meandering and incoherent. The key moment was when Paul said nobody knows what the Syrians will do if Congress votes down the resolution.

Kerry replied: You bet we know; they will commit more crimes against humanity. Game, set. match for those who care about preventing more crimes against humanity.

Of course the Syrians will view a refusal of Congress to authorize action as a license to kill and maim and gas more women and children. Now Paul is considering whether to filibuster the resolution in the Senate. And he promises to peddle his Syria story in the House.

Not only is Bashar Assad rooting for Paul to win, now Paul is acting like Assad's lobbyist and working the House as well as the Senate in his bid to win votes in the 2016 Iowa caucus. It is incredible — and unseemly — and unworthy of the party of Ronald Reagan, who must be turning in his grave.

I have bent over backward to be fair to Rubio. I generally agree with the assessment of my colleague A.B. Stoddard in her recent column. Rubio's performance over Syria was a sad sight to behold. Rubio, who could have been an heir to Reagan, raises all 10 fingers to test the winds. He then moves from sounding firm and strong like Reagan on Syria to being a weather vane like Mitt Romney.

He ends up sounding like a neo-isolationist and an unprincipled opportunist like Senator Claghorn, not a leader with conviction like Reagan. Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE would make mince meat of both Paul and Rubio, but in the meantime we have a mission to accomplish: to stop the crimes against humanity committed by Assad and ignore those like Paul, who Assad is rooting for today.