Russian President to the U.S.: “Stand Down in Syria”
This week, the New York Times published an op-ed by
Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his article, Mr. Putin expressed
his concern over proposals of U.S. military action in Syria. He cited
international law and said that any use of American force would
“constitute an act of aggression” unless approved by the UN Security
Council. He also sought to cast doubt on allegations that the Syrian
government was behind the recent chemical weapons attacks, suggesting
that it was more likely that the attacks were committed by Syrian rebels
looking to undermine the Syrian government.
Mr. Putin’s article was
met with a wide variety of response from American leaders, citizens,
and press. Some suggested that he raised valid and clear-headed
arguments, while others pointed to Russia’s support and vested interests
in Syria (as well as the Russian government’s dubious record on the
topic of human rights) as reason to question the motives and true
intentions of the communication.
We want to
know what you all think! Do you think that Mr. Putin was right in his
assessment and advice? Is there a conflict of Russian interest? Do you
think that the U.S. should take action in Syria? How do you think our
government should respond to this situation--if at all?
You can weigh in on the discussion by commenting on this Facebook post. We look forward to hearing your thoughts!
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