In what many are calling an unprecedented move, Russian President Vladimir Putin reached out to the American people through an op-ed published in the New York Times on the afternoon of September 11th, 2013.
Putin said that the op-ed was necessary due to “insufficient communication between our societies.”
In the op-ed, Putin warned that the United Nations could follow the same path as the League of Nations, the U.N.’s predecessor, which failed to keep the peace after World War One, if “influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.” To date, Russia and China oppose President Obama’s decision to convince Congress to authorize a military strike on Syria after its use of chemical weapons, killing approximately 1000 people.
Putin also took issue with a speech made by President Obama where he said America is “exceptional.”
“It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation,” Putin said. “There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal. “
5 thoughts on “Russia’s Putin reaches out to American citizens through op-ed, says “It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional””
In this case, with this incident in Syria, I am glad cooler heads prevailed. No matter who it was.
There are times to go in guns blazing, I am not sure this was one of those times.
Well said.
There are many ways to interpret the Putin op-ed – depending on what you think his motivations are.
Putin never seems to miss an opportunity for self-aggrandizement so that gives me pause.
That said it is particularly galling to acknowledge that he may have described the Syrian situation with more clarity than we’ve seen from the Obama administration on this topic, or any topic in a long time – if ever.
It occurs to me that we should ask him to do op-eds on Benghazi & Egypt as well. Who knows what he might reveal that our own government may be hiding.
If nothing else, his op-ed further indicates just what an astounding failed-leader we have for a president.
It just shows the lack of respect that other country’s now have for us. Osama Obama has done a real job on our country.
Right you are Mr. Putin. I don’t know the answer to this problem, but, I do know that we need to stay the hell out of Syria. They have been killing themselves for 1200 years, and we’re going to stop them, yea right. Need a recent example, Iraq….