A few obvious points about Putin's editorial in the NYT.

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

A Plea for Caution From Russia

What Putin Has to Say to Americans About Syria

By VLADIMIR V. PUTIN

Published: September 11, 2013 

MOSCOW — RECENT events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.                                                                             

                                                                                                

The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades.

“Stability”  in the context of Putin’s thinking,  is the agreement of the UN to do nothing in such cases as Syria. 

No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.

Obama would have agreed with Putin’s comment,  here,  before he stuck his foot in mouth with that “red line” statement and his declaration to “go it alone” in Syria,  if events so dictated.  Of course,  he has backed off of this stance  . . . .   something most of us in America new he would do. 

The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope,

Putin quotes the Pope in all this,  as if he respected this religious leader.  Need we explain that Putin is a godless killer who has no more core except for his own self interests. 

will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. . . . . . . . . .

I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive, as we agreed to at the Group of 8 meeting in Lough Erne in Northern Ireland in June, and steer the discussion back toward negotiations.

And with this statement,  Putin takes the lead role in the pursuit for peace in Syria,  turning the tables on Obama and making him look the fool that he is. 

If we can avoid force against Syria, this will improve the atmosphere in international affairs and strengthen mutual trust. It will be our shared success and open the door to cooperation on other critical issues.

My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. . . .

Gawd,  I hope not !! 

I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional . . . .

And with this comment,  Putin reveals his own ignorance as to America’s doctrine of “exceptionalism.”  It has never been about our “seeing ourselves as exceptional”  people in this world,  but,  rather,  “exceptionalism” is about an understanding of the very nature of our union that demands a shared federalism  giving the people of the United States a powerful voice as to their own governance  . . . . . . . . . something that does not exist in comparable measure,  anywhere in the world,  and certainly not in Communist Russia,  or whatever “Russia” is called,  today. 

Vladimir V. Putin is the president of Russia.

You will want to read Putin's entire editorial,  here.