I think he could have potentially swayed many American's that are dismayed with Obama if he hadn't finished with the american's aren't exceptional, we all are bit. But it would be wrong to think that this letter was addressed to the US, it was addressed to the world. Putin is trying to play the good guy, but it's a difficult role to assume when you've secured your position through corruption and criminal behavior for years. He may have made some valid points, but the man is not to be trusted. He doesn't care about consensus or justice, this is just posturing and it's damned good posturing. If we don't go to war Obama looks weak and if we do he looks like an aggressor in the face of Putin's olive branch. Brilliant. But hopefully the world remembers who Putin is.