Obama on Putin: 'This Is Not The Cold War…I Can Talk to Him'

Despite his past disdain for Russian quasi-dictator Vladimir Putin, President Obama now says he trusts the Russian president when it comes to negotiating a deal with Syria. “Mr. Putin and I have strong disagreements on a whole range of issues,” Obama stated. “But I can talk to him. We have worked together on important issues…This is not the Cold War. This is not a contest between the United States and Russia.”

Putin’s offer last week to broker a deal between the Syrians and the United States with regard to Syrian chemical weapons was followed by Syrian bombing of opposition targets, another possible chemical weapons strike, and reports that the Russians have been selling anti-aircraft missiles and nuclear technology to the Iranians.

Ben Shapiro is Editor-At-Large of Breitbart News and author of the New York Times bestseller “Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences America” (Threshold Editions, January 8, 2013).