Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) took to the floor and delivered a sharp denouncement of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in his attempt to attach a bill ending all aid to Egypt, Libya and Pakistan to another bill providing jobs for veterans and pass the combined legislation by unanimous consent.

Paul waited just one day after the terrorist attack in Libya and the near-disaster in Egypt to try to push through a policy that would seem to add plenty of fuel to the incendiary situation in Libya and Egypt right now. Kerry, a longtime foreign policy hand and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took great offense at this policy, addressing Paul with a harsh tone not usually seen in the halls of government on this side of the Atlantic. As The Hill reports:

"'Cutting the aid to any of these countries in this way and this fashion is not a way to honor Chris Stevens,' Kerry said. 'The senator from Kentucky might be really surprised to know that the Libyan people are grateful to the U.S. and are mourning the deaths of our people.'"

Kerry also asked Paul if he had ever visited Egypt or Pakistan, to which the Kentucky senator could only respond with silence.

Paul is known for his isolationist principles, which are shared by some in the Republican party, but veteran legislators like Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) with foreign policy experience have come out against cutting aid at this time. The influx of Tea Party-backed candidates like Paul into Congress, many of whom have little international expertise and a support base that has not been overly concerned with that area has resulted in some mixed messaging, and some purely ignorant messaging on foreign affairs.

Kerry is widely considered to be a leading candidate for the Secretary of State position upon Hillary Clinton's impending retirement and is likely to be dealing heavily with Egypt, Libya and Pakistan for the foreseeable future, which may partly explain his forceful and passionate reaction to Sen. Paul.

 

Reach Executive Producer Matt Pressberg here.