[henkster]

Putin appears to cut a deal with Merkel, while blowing off 0bama. Merkel empowered, 0bama marginalized, NATO fractured.

You gotta admit, that Putin guy knows how to play the game.

[GreenHornet]

Putin appears to cut a deal with Merkel, while blowing off 0bama. Merkel empowered, 0bama marginalized, NATO fractured.

Divide and conquer. The NATO leaders may not like Putin, they may not trust him, but they feel they're better off dealing directly with him rather than rely on Obama. They have no confidence whatsoever in Obama, and no reason to think he has their back.

[Reverend Wright]

“Putin appears to cut a deal with Merkel, while blowing off 0bama. Merkel empowered, 0bama marginalized, NATO fractured.”

absolutely correct! and right along the lines that Professor Mead suggested at the end of this essay - that Putin would attempt to drive a wedge between USA and european nato countries

http://www.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2014/03/15/putin-the-mask-comes-off-but-will-anybody-care/

[plain talk]

Yep but Obama will claim credit for making mean ol PutiPut back down eve though he was irrelevent.