In his message of congratulations, the Russian President noted that, despite the differences between the two countries, Russian-American relations remain the most important factor of international stability and security.
Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that Russia and the USA can find solutions to the most complicated international issues and efficiently resist global threats and challenges as they base their dialogue on principles of equality and respect of each other’s interests.
"Он не взял меня за гамбургер."
"Get your hand off me, bitch."
Those are two genuine smiles there, not political smiles. For a period of time, those two guys really liked each other.
See, now why intellectual arrogance from the U.S. when we can't even get the correct Russian translation for "reset?"
Humiliating moment for Kerry. He throws out a line, "Well, if Syria got rid of all it's chemical weapons..." Lavrov said, "We, I mean they, will do that!" Obama said, "John..." so kerrywentbackandacceptedlavrov'ssyria'sproposal.
Or just not shake hands, right? that's another alternative. Attend a funeral together. John, do something else with your hands please.
Now here is one of Kerry and Lavrov from June 27 of this year:
No, they are not giving each other hand-jobs but that is a natural smile on Kerry's face and (I cheated and read the article) they were warmer toward each other. The issue here of course was Iran. Lavrov and Kerry have had the opportunity to work on the same side lo these many months and I betcha Kerry respects Lavrov--and Putin and Russia--more now that he has seen Lavrov and Russia be truly helpful. They are equals in the P5+1. Last year, during the deep chill over Ukraine, Lavrov made a speech in which he emphasized over and over again that the U.S. must treat Russia with respect, equality, and something else, something like "respect our intelligence." I cannot quote him now but I wrote about that speech and it's in here somewhere. Putin, Lavrov and the Russians know (or they have their suspicions) that they are not as smart as Obama and the Americans. They don't have to be told that! Barack Obama is a generous-spirited man but, you hear it all the time, he is "arrogant." NOBODY LIKES ARROGANT! If you are smarter than me be smart enough not to show it!
Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that Russia and the USA can find solutions to the most complicated international issues and efficiently resist global threats and challenges as they base their dialogue on principles of equality and respect of each other’s interests.
(emphasis added)
It is hard to respect Vladimir Putin. And Putin knows that Obama does not respect or like him. There is no better way to put this: It hurts Putin's feelings.
That hurt Putin's feelings, too. (Okay, from here on, no laughing, no matter the provocation.)
We made fun of him over the Sochi Olympics.
We questioned Olympic security, Obama intentionally included openly Gay and Lesbian athletes as part of his official delegation to protest Putin's openly anti-Gay/Lesbian statements. Completely defensible gesture by the president but there was no...reservoir of personal good will between the two men that they could fall back on at the time and so it was just drip, drip, drip (flush, flush, flush) of insult upon insult. Sochi and Ukraine happened at the same time and feelings were particularly raw.
It is difficult to respect the guy! Ukraine would still have happened. Georgia happened right before the Beijing Olympics despite:
He still invaded Georgia, right? Isn't that the bottom line? Yes, no "yes, but," "yes," full stop.
Would it be okay if the presidents of Russia and the United States did like each other? Or just "respected" each other? He's going to invade whether you like or respect him or not; no harm in respecting him then, is there?
Would it be okay if the presidents of Russia and the United States did like each other? Or just "respected" each other? He's going to invade whether you like or respect him or not; no harm in respecting him then, is there?
At every level, U.S.-Russian relations have been piss-poor:
"Reset" gaffe triptych:
"Reset" gaffe triptych:
Could you guys get any further away from each other for that handshake? Why don't you just wave?
Not good body language. In a good cause! But not good body language.
Ditto.
Good body language. Between the Russian and the Chinese. Bad.
Bad. For the U.S.
THE worst. Makes me nauseous every time.
(That was over Ukraine, too. Russia intercepted the call.)
No, they are not giving each other hand-jobs but that is a natural smile on Kerry's face and (I cheated and read the article) they were warmer toward each other. The issue here of course was Iran. Lavrov and Kerry have had the opportunity to work on the same side lo these many months and I betcha Kerry respects Lavrov--and Putin and Russia--more now that he has seen Lavrov and Russia be truly helpful. They are equals in the P5+1. Last year, during the deep chill over Ukraine, Lavrov made a speech in which he emphasized over and over again that the U.S. must treat Russia with respect, equality, and something else, something like "respect our intelligence." I cannot quote him now but I wrote about that speech and it's in here somewhere. Putin, Lavrov and the Russians know (or they have their suspicions) that they are not as smart as Obama and the Americans. They don't have to be told that! Barack Obama is a generous-spirited man but, you hear it all the time, he is "arrogant." NOBODY LIKES ARROGANT! If you are smarter than me be smart enough not to show it!
There may be something else going on here over Iran: Russia knows the immense personal effort that Obama has put into the Iran negotiations. They know he sent secret letters to the Ayatollah assiduously cultivating trust and respect and credibility. They know John-John has gone on walks with Zarif just like he did with Sergei. They know how many hours (and hours and hours and hours) the Americans have spent attempting to build a relationship with the Iranians and how it looks like that relationship is going to bear fruit in a deal! And the Russians know the Iranians are just as big assholes as they are--bigger assholes. Yet, Obama has written off having a good relationship with Putin.
"They don't make that much effort with us."
"See? We're not 'most important' to them, we're not even as important as Iran (sniffle)."
"He never wrote me any letters."
"He never even invited me out for a hamburger like he did Dmitri." :(
"Somebody go kill Dmitri for me."
"They don't make that much effort with us."
"See? We're not 'most important' to them, we're not even as important as Iran (sniffle)."
"He never wrote me any letters."
"He never even invited me out for a hamburger like he did Dmitri." :(
"Somebody go kill Dmitri for me."
Obama is in late second term mode now, concerned with his legacy. Let's see, in foreign relations he has...Cuba! Got Cuba! Iran probably. Everybody else in the whole world, he doesn't have them. Obama will go down as having made America's relations with everybody else in the world worse. He doesn't have enough time to justify that Nobel Peace Prize when he had been fifteen minutes in office, too much damage has been done to too many nations by the NSA, by his arrogance and aloofness. But he could reach out one more time before he leaves office to Putin.
Could Obama say just one thing nice about Putin? Like Putin said about him, "He's a brave and good man?" Putin said that about Obama. It was a real nice thing to say! Obama still wrote him off but it didn't make things worse. How about even something like, I don't know, "Vladimir, you got a hot, young friend-girl!" Don't laugh! His Soviet counterpart, I forget his name, God, I can see his face, used to tease Kissinger about his taste for young womenz. It was an ice-breaker, that's all. "You're a dirty old man," Kissinger kidded back. Anyway, something. "Thank you for invaluable aid with Iran." Would there be any harm in writing such a sentiment in a secret letter to Putin, to try to go out on a not-so-cold note? Probably won't do any good! Got it, got it, got it. But would there be any harm? No, there wouldn't be.
Thought for the night. Thought since I saw that picture on June 27 (and read the article).
Could Obama say just one thing nice about Putin? Like Putin said about him, "He's a brave and good man?" Putin said that about Obama. It was a real nice thing to say! Obama still wrote him off but it didn't make things worse. How about even something like, I don't know, "Vladimir, you got a hot, young friend-girl!" Don't laugh! His Soviet counterpart, I forget his name, God, I can see his face, used to tease Kissinger about his taste for young womenz. It was an ice-breaker, that's all. "You're a dirty old man," Kissinger kidded back. Anyway, something. "Thank you for invaluable aid with Iran." Would there be any harm in writing such a sentiment in a secret letter to Putin, to try to go out on a not-so-cold note? Probably won't do any good! Got it, got it, got it. But would there be any harm? No, there wouldn't be.
Thought for the night. Thought since I saw that picture on June 27 (and read the article).