Having addressed the role PR has played so far in the Syria situation last week, I guess it's appropriate, with new developments having occurred, to address perhaps the most significant from a PR perspective. A few days ago, Russian president Vladimir Putin had an op-ed published by the New York Times on the subject of Syria. (All quotes in this entry will be from the op-ed, which can be found here).
Putin exhibits some expertise in the op-ed, beginning by noting both the times the US and Russia were at each others' throats (i.e. the Cold War) and when the two countries were allies, during World War II. Putin has both acknowledged the differences separating him from his target audience (Americans) and emphasized the similarities, thus avoiding the appearance of cherry-picking the similarities while at the same time finding common ground.
Putin continues to try to create common ground throughout the op-ed, stating that "No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations", which is why it's important for the US not to act unilaterally on Syria in his view. He appeals to common concerns in arguing against a strike, warning of escalating atrocities in Syria and disrupting international law and order. At the same time, he does his best to eliminate the typical image of the Syrian conflict as being a battle between a tyrant and supporters of democracy, arguing that "[t]here are few champions of democracy in Syria." He then appeals to the fears of his audience by mentioning the presence of al-Qaeda in Syria.
Putin proceeds to try to create a positive image of both himself and his government, stating that they are not defending the Syrian government (which is understandably unpopular) but rather simply trying to defend international law by seeking a peaceful settlement of the conflict. He appeals to Americans' war-weariness and the unpopularity of wars such as Afghanistan by highlighting the similarities between them and a potential strike on Syria. He appeals to his audience's sympathy by mentioning the civilian casualties, "including the elderly and children".
After highlighting the similarities and common interests between himself and President Obama, Putin pulls a particularly bold move by challenging the notion of American exceptionalism, stating that "we must not forget that God created us equal." This is a particularly shrewd move in appealing to members of the most heavily religious country in the first world, whose patriotism by and large could perhaps only be outdone by their Christianity (which Putin happens to share). To think Putin's op-ed is sincere is fairly laughable, but that fact only emphasizes the truth of what it really is, that is to say, a skilled example of PR.
I agree with everything you have put in this blog post. I was shocked when I read that Putin had published an Op-Ed for the American people to read, but once I read the Op-Ed I was impressed. While I usually do not agree with Putin's views on how his country should be run, he makes a good point in acknowledging that the United States and Russia need to work together to contain the situation in Syria. Truthful or not, the Op-Ed was very well-written and speaks volumes about what Putin is willing to do to make sure that Russia has a sizable part in what happens in Syria.
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