Vladimir Putin: America Isn't Exceptional

Vladimir Putin took to the New York Times to publish an op-ed on Syria where he took issue with President Barack Obama's statement that America is exceptional while talking on Tuesday about the possibility of military intervention in Syria.

I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday, Putin wrote in the op-ed, published online late Wednesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States policy is what makes America different. Its what makes us exceptional.

It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation, he continued. 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 Lords blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.

The Russian president also raised questions of U.S. military intervention in the past, bringing up Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States, Putin wrote. Is it in Americas long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan youre either with us or against us.

We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.