NYT readers praise Putin, slam Obama on Syria

Recent publication in “New York Times” by Russian president Vladimir Putin received a strong outcry among edition’s readers with many citing him to sound more “sane and responsible than our own [American] government on a serious international crisis”.

In his plea to American people Vladimir Putin describes the state of current affairs in the ongoing crisis in Syria. He cites threats of the possible military intervention and calls the world to act according to norms of the international law.

“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,” Putin writes in his article.

Russian president draws people’s attention that factions like al-Qaeda, Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which were recognized as terrorist organizations by the US Department of State, fight among the “rebels”. And that a targeted US strike will not just inevitably cause elderly and children death, which it’s meant to prevent, but will also destabilize the region “.

Putin calls the world powers to restrain from language of brutal force, which has been used for decades in solving crises like Syria’s one, and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.

 “A new opportunity to avoid military action has emerged in the past few days. The United States, Russia and all members of the international community must take advantage of the Syrian government’s willingness to place its chemical arsenal under international control for subsequent destruction. Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action,” writes the Russian president.

In the end of his letter to American people, Vladimir Putin refers to the words of Barack Obama about the exceptionalism of one nation [the United States’ policy is what makes America different, it’s what makes us exceptional]. He cites how extremely dangerous it is in the modern world to follow such an agenda and uses the words familiar to people since childhood.

 “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”, he writes.

From 80 to 90 percent of readers found the ideas of the Russian president more reasonable and understandable than recently stated by Barack Obama during his address to the nation on Syrian issue.

“What a crazy world we are living in when Russia sounds more sane and responsible than our own government on a serious international crisis. It’s as if I have blundered into some bizarre parallel universe,” says one of the users in his commentaries to the Putin’s article.

Some were very impressed that the leader of the Russian government wanted to share his point of view with their nation and the people of the United States.

 “I think there has been enough bloodshed in the Middle East and it is clear that Mr. Putin is working to stop the madness. He is the peacemaker that is stepping forward to say this is enough. We don’t need to solve all the world’s problems by bombing everyone back to the Stone Age,” said in another commentary to the article.

Source: Voice of Russia

R.S