(CNN) -- Vladimir Putin may not be the best defender of a free press, but the well-traveled former recruit of the KGB knows how things work abroad. In America, he has learnt, drawing attention to your point of view does not necessarily imply jailing or inflicting bodily harm to your dissenters but may be as simple as submitting an op-ed to the New York Times. That is exactly what happened on September 11, when the renowned peacemaker of Chechnya advised Barack Obama to "stop the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement" on the matter of Syria.
@highlight
Vladimir Putin's op-ed in the New York Times disputed the idea of American 'exceptionalism'
@highlight
White House has ignored Putin's remarks but some U.S. lawmakers were outraged
@highlight
Coste: Things are changing and many Americans now dispute notion of 'exceptionalism'
Adding to the complication, the @placeholder may disagree on its meaning.