Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Sunday twisted a famous anti-war quote Secretary of State John Kerry made in 1971 testimony about the Vietnam War, and then told the veteran to remember "how awful war is."

In an interview with NBC News following President Barack Obama's decision to ask Congress for authorization to attack Syria over alleged chemical weapons use, Paul insisted to host David Gregory that it was a "mistake" to get involved the country's civil war.

Paul pointed to Kerry's 1971 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he asked: "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

"I would ask John Kerry, 'How can you ask a man to be the first one to die for a mistake?'" Paul quipped. "What I've told them is, I'm not sending my son, your son or anybody else's son to fight for stalemate. You know, when we fight, we fight when we have to. But I see things in a very personal basis."

"You know, I see a young John Kerry who went to war and wish he remembered more of how awful war is."

Kerry fought in the Vietnam War as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy from from 1966 to 1970. He received three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star for his service.

Paul was only three years old when Kerry enlisted into the Naval Reserve. After his father indoctrinated him in the of Objectivist phiosophy of Ayn Rand as a teenager, Paul decided to attend Baylor University instead of joining the military in 1981.