It Has Not Boded Well for Autocrats when Americans are Clearly Focused on Values, Principles that Made our Nation Great

In today’s New York Times, the once and future Russian president Vladimir Putin critiqued President Obama’s remarks regarding Syria on Tuesday night. He took particular issue with the end of the President’s statement:

“But when, with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death, and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act. That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.“

Mr. Putin worries that it is “extremely dangerous” for the President to encourage the Americans to see themselves as exceptional. His concern is well placed. Historically it has not boded well for autocrats when Americans are clearly focused on the values and principles that have made our nation great:

• When millions of men, women and children were being systematically murdered in Nazi concentration camps, Americans fought to end the slaughter, with 405,399 of our “greatest generation” sacrificing their lives to defeat Fascism.
• When millions of men, women, and children were being brutalized in Soviet gulags, Americans on both sides of the political aisle rallied together to fight the Cold War. After decades of struggle, the Iron Curtain crumbled and 286,730,819 people were freed from the yoke of Communism.

Both of these efforts, which not coincidentally were also firmly in the national security interests of the United States, were the two greatest acts of liberation in the history of the planet.

Even at the risk of discomfiting Mr. Putin further, I hope President Obama amplifies his remarks on American exceptionalism as we engage in the ongoing debate on Syria. We live in a great country where citizens can criticize their President and not fear a visit from the secret police. As Americans we can agree to disagree over weighty issues and still stand united in the defense of freedom. This is indeed dangerous for despots.