Putin Takes Exception to Exceptional Americans

In a New York Times editorial, Russian President Vladimir Putin lays out his case for caution and warns that if America continues to intervene in the civil wars of other countries, it will not be perceived as a model of democracy much longer. He also claims that it was not the Syrian government that was behind the recent chemical attacks that left many civilians dead, but the terrorists. (Why, then, you may very well ask has the Syrian government agreed to surrender its chemical weapons).

We looked up an articles in other countries on the editorial to see what people in other countries thought about it. In the Belgium newsmag,Le Vif/L’Express, they seemed to be most impressed with Putin’s desire for world peace. One commenter said it was a mistake to give Obama the Nobel Peace Prize and, after helping avert a military strike on Syria, Putin should get one.

Putin then took it upon himself to criticize President Obama for telling the American people that our country is “exceptional.”

“My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. 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, whatever the motivation. 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.”

And we think that he’s got a lot of nerve with that one. Any leader addressing his countrymen speaks to the greatness of his country. In the USA, governors speak about the greatness of their states, mayors speak of the greatness of their cities, and we’re sure that goes on all over the world. If Obama saying the USA is an exceptional country makes Putin think he is saying that other countries are not, that’s Putin’s misperception.