Outraged U.S. politicians and academics murmur, both liberals and conservatives, in reaction to the recent article in the NY Times in which Putin speaks to the American people : “Who does [this KGB thug] think he is to give us lessons of legality and democracy? ”

A distinctive feature of human ecology is when the elites convince the people to be so “exceptional ” that the rules that apply to everyone else do not apply to them. This American “exceptionalism ” is what Putin has had the audacity to denounce.

History shows others that, like the English Empire, pretending to civilize, installed a ruthless and exploitative colonial system; the supposed supremacy of the Aryan race that Hitler used to justify his atrocities; the communist dictatorship of the proletariat which brought the biggest genocides in history with the complicity and silence of leftist elites worldwide. “Exceptionalism” justified everything .

American “exceptionalism” is complex and deep-rooted . From the biblical “city on the hill ” that would enlighten all nations, it has taken for granted a divine destiny to offer the world an exemplary model of democracy , capitalism and civic virtues. This justified occupying the entire continent displacing native Americans, Mexicans and other powers, as well as later initiatives for continental and global dominance .

Its desire to promote the indisputable gift of freedom and democracy has encovered for many, economic interests, and justified to others, being exempt from moral and legal restrictions –i.e international tribunals- arguing its noble intentions and special mission. In this, Obama has not been different from Bush , as shown by the recent revelations about national security policies.

Moreover, Obama has gone beyond economic and military imperialism. By making a priority of its foreign policy to promote abortion, contraception and validation of the gay lifestyle, he is trying to impose cultural and moral concepts without respecting the diversity and identity of other peoples, and cultural and religious traditions. This abuse has caused African leaders, and other countries of Europe and Middle East to say in their own words ” Who does he think he is… ? ”

Perhaps that’s why Putin’s article hurts so much, warning that emperor Obama is indeed naked.