vladimir I, czar of all the russias

...wrote an op/ed published in the NY Times today.

Putin didn't say anything even controversial in that piece, as far as I'm concerned.

There was the "exceptional" thing, and that always gets the clueless 1/3 going.

The Russians are experienced hands at dealing with the world's exceptional and superior beings. Such as the Nazzies. "The Master Race," I believe they styled themselves.

But they only got as far as Stalingrad, where their superiority proved illusory.

We'll stop with Baghdad, if we're truly exceptional.

And if not we'll go the same way as all the superior and exceptional people who have gone before us. 

For a spirited and contrary review of Vladimir's Times piece, see New Smacks.