If you have not yet read the op-ed column in the New York Times written by Russian president Vladimir Putin, you really should. It is not often that you can actually read a foreign leader who mocks the president of the United States, lectures this country about democracy and world peace, and threatens our allies all in the name of world peace. Indeed, if there is still anyone out there who thinks that the Russians are serious in their proposals about Syria, then reading Putin's own words should convince you that there is not a chance that the Putin plan will work (or even that Putin will try to make it work.)
Let me put it this way. Putin criticizes the countries around the world that have sent assistance to the rebels in Syria. Foreign countries should stay out of Syria's internal affairs according to Putin. The problem, of course, is that the aid to the rebels has consisted of rifles and small arms. Putin's Russia has sent the Assad regime tons of tanks, fighter jets, missiles, artillery and other heavy duty weapons of war. Putin, of course, ignores this and just condemns those who send small arms to the rebels.
Putin also tells us that only the UN Security Council can authorize the use of force in Syria and that international law otherwise prohibits that use. Again, that is not really correct. There is a whole body of international law that prohibits the use of poison gas in war and even makes such use a war crime punishable by death. So treaties signed by nearly every country in the world proclaim the use of gas illegal, but, according to Putin, no one can enforce that treaty unless all five of the permanent members of the Security Council agree. That is just wrong.
Putin once again puts out the lie that it was the rebels who used poison gas, not the Assad forces. That tired lie should have been put to rest once the Assad regime admitted that it had substantial chemical weapons. Remember, until two days ago, Assad denied having any chemical weapons. Now it says it has hundreds or thousands of tons of the stuff which it will turn over to international control if terms can be agreed. This lie is bad, but worse is the clear threat that Putin makes for the Assad forces to attack Israel with poison gas. Putin, of course, says that such an attack will be by the rebels, but the rebels don't have poison gas. We should not sit here while Putin threatens Israel without responding.
Putin criticizes the USA for Afghanistan and Iraq. In Putin's view, Afghanistan has been a failure. Strangely, though, it was Russia, not the USA, that failed with its action in Afghanistan. One of the reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union was that very Russian failure to gain control of Afghanistan. And how about Iraq? Sure there still is fighting and terror attacks that happen in that country. There are probably more such attacks in the Russian province of Chechnya, however than in Baghdad. Even after the American withdrawal from Iraq, there is mostly peace in that country.
Putin also says that Americans should not call themselves exceptional. That, perhaps, is his biggest mistake. America is exceptional. We know it and, I think, Putin knows it as well.
The sad truth is that if Putin were serious about reaching agreement on Syria, he would not be spreading lies or lecturing America about what he thinks are our shortcomings. Nope, Putin is just trying to humiliate both the country and president Obama. Hopefully, Obama understands this and will not let it continue.
Let me put it this way. Putin criticizes the countries around the world that have sent assistance to the rebels in Syria. Foreign countries should stay out of Syria's internal affairs according to Putin. The problem, of course, is that the aid to the rebels has consisted of rifles and small arms. Putin's Russia has sent the Assad regime tons of tanks, fighter jets, missiles, artillery and other heavy duty weapons of war. Putin, of course, ignores this and just condemns those who send small arms to the rebels.
Putin also tells us that only the UN Security Council can authorize the use of force in Syria and that international law otherwise prohibits that use. Again, that is not really correct. There is a whole body of international law that prohibits the use of poison gas in war and even makes such use a war crime punishable by death. So treaties signed by nearly every country in the world proclaim the use of gas illegal, but, according to Putin, no one can enforce that treaty unless all five of the permanent members of the Security Council agree. That is just wrong.
Putin once again puts out the lie that it was the rebels who used poison gas, not the Assad forces. That tired lie should have been put to rest once the Assad regime admitted that it had substantial chemical weapons. Remember, until two days ago, Assad denied having any chemical weapons. Now it says it has hundreds or thousands of tons of the stuff which it will turn over to international control if terms can be agreed. This lie is bad, but worse is the clear threat that Putin makes for the Assad forces to attack Israel with poison gas. Putin, of course, says that such an attack will be by the rebels, but the rebels don't have poison gas. We should not sit here while Putin threatens Israel without responding.
Putin criticizes the USA for Afghanistan and Iraq. In Putin's view, Afghanistan has been a failure. Strangely, though, it was Russia, not the USA, that failed with its action in Afghanistan. One of the reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union was that very Russian failure to gain control of Afghanistan. And how about Iraq? Sure there still is fighting and terror attacks that happen in that country. There are probably more such attacks in the Russian province of Chechnya, however than in Baghdad. Even after the American withdrawal from Iraq, there is mostly peace in that country.
Putin also says that Americans should not call themselves exceptional. That, perhaps, is his biggest mistake. America is exceptional. We know it and, I think, Putin knows it as well.
The sad truth is that if Putin were serious about reaching agreement on Syria, he would not be spreading lies or lecturing America about what he thinks are our shortcomings. Nope, Putin is just trying to humiliate both the country and president Obama. Hopefully, Obama understands this and will not let it continue.
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