Putin's Article is Wrong — There's Still One Thing America is Exceptional At

Russian President Vladimir Putin has a message for America. “When it comes to Syria's usage of weapons of mass destruction, mind your business, America. You aren't so special.” Writing for the New York Times, Putin lambasted America's past history of ignoring international law, intervening in the sovereign affairs of nations, and making excessive boasts. Putin said, “It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. “

I don't know how Putin defines "commonplace," but he neglects to point out that Syria doesn't have America's exceptional ability to restrain its military and control the usage of weapons of mass destruction.

Countries create weapons of war for military and monetary purposes. At the end of the day most weapons of war are offensive in nature and are designed to obtain a tactical and strategic advantage. If there is one thing that America is exceptional at, if there is one industry where it maintains exceptional capabilities, it is in the creation and usage of weapons of war, including weapons of mass destruction.

America's intervention in the use of chemical weapons, as well as its desire to prevent any other nation from developing nuclear-weapon capabilities, is based on the exceptional fact that America knows firsthand the devastation that can be caused by these weapons. After all, the U.S. has been the leader in the means of producing these weapons for decades. Whether it be through education, direct and indirect funding, manufacturing, or exporting, America knows modern war and weapons of mass destruction better than any other nation in the world.

America understand nukes, chemical warfare, nuclear submarines, satellite technology, and unmanned air strikes, and America understands the danger that is posed when these weapons fall into the hands of those who would use them in the same way America has used them in the past – with an offensive mindset to bring their enemies to their knees.

In his op-ed Putin pointed out that it is logical for nations to pursue the acquisition and development of weapons of mass destruction. He said, “If you have the bomb, no one will touch you.” But if Putin is unable to control the usage of weapons of mass destruction by his ally in Syria, he will find that America will take exception to that thought.