it's that putin has to find a way through this. in fact he's now put his name to doing it. michael crowley is senior correspondent for "time" magazine and peter beinart is senior political writer for the daily beast and the editor of the open zion blog. thank you. first of all i'll start with michael, who's with me. what do you think is a fair look at this thing? let me read from vladimir putin's op-ed in the "new york times" today. it's certainly raising eyebrows around the world. besides backing the plan to disarm syria of its chemical weapons the russian leader also took the opportunity according to some to lecture america. "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." putin also chided president obama's exceptional nation comment this week. according to putin, "it is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation."