A peace symbol

No one in the whole of the world knows for sure when, but on Wednesday, Americans got the utmost surprise of their lives when Russia's very own president, Vladimir Putin, wrote a letter addressed to each and every single U.S. citizen, urging them to caution whatever plans they have against civil war-stricken Syria.

"It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. Is it in America's long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan "you're either with us or against us," Mr Putin said.

Just as U.S. President Barack Obama railroaded his speech on Tuesday night, implying that a doomsday strike threat against Syria would happen because President Bashar al-Assad failed to fulfill his vow to turn over his chemical weapons stockpile, Mr Putin jabbed at the American president and his seemingly bullying tactics.

You know America has lost its way when the President of Russia is writing to Americans cautioning them on Syria http://t.co/uEnq4UACMe

— Matthew C. Layman (@matthewclayman) September 12, 2013

Mr Putin said a strike action against Syria "without the U.N. Security Council's approval downright constitutes an act of aggression."

Mr Putin narrated that the U.S. and Russia used to be allies once, and together were able to defeat the Nazis. Much like a father narrating a bedtime story to his children, Mr Putin relayed to all American readers that this alliance, including the destruction and its after effects, was what prompted the creation of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council.

"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," Mr Putin said in his letter published at the New York Times' op-ed page.

Guess we've come a long way when Russian leaders write op-eds in the NY Times. http://t.co/67Mk0grVPZ

— Adam Reiner (@adamreiner) September 12, 2013

Suffice to say, that the U.S. has said that it will strike Syria even without the blessing of the United Nations Security Council, of which Russia is a permanent member, tantamounts to bypassing its mandate, the collapse of the organisation and ultimately, usher in doomsday World War 3.

"No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization."

Once it happens, "it could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance," Mr Putin said.

So it turns out that being a KGB officer is better executive training than being a community organizer. #Syria #Putin #Obama

— Eric Chevlen (@echevlen) September 12, 2013

Obama's BFF, Vladimir Putin, puts on a good show here. A Plea for Caution From Russia http://t.co/or7k2yXr0z

— Jim Wisdom (@jimwisdom) September 12, 2013

"The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria's borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa," Mr Putin said.

"We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement."

Really disappointed that Putin didn't end his @NYTimes op-ed on #Syria with "From Russia, with love".

— Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) September 12, 2013

Read Mr Putin's full message here - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?pagewanted=all