Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote a lengthy New York Times opinion piece on Tuesday warning U.S. leaders that the consequences of striking Syria -- more innocent blood and an inevitable "new wave of terrorism" -- would outweigh any possible benefits. 

"No matter how targeted the strikes or how sophisticated the weapons, civilian casualties are inevitable, including the elderly and children, whom the strikes are meant to protect," he wrote.

The Obama Administration's assertion that Assad used chemical weapons is not even verifiable -- or likely, the Russian president stated. He argued for another alternative: that they were used by opposition forces to provoke the international community to intervene against Assad.

Putin goes on to write, "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.'"

Read the full New York Times piece here.

Find more Neon Tommy Syria coverage here.

Reach Executive Producer Raishad Hardnett here or follow him on Twitter.