Sounds plausible considering Putin warned Bush after 9/11 that Saddam was going to attack America. I think Putin plays both sides. Un,oh that sounds suspiciously like Kerry, maybe Kerry aspires to be a double agent like in Kgb.
"maybe Kerry aspires to be a double agent like in Kgb".
He has CIA experience from Cambodia!
To carry the speculation further, maybe Putin is really on our side, he is just our mole in the Axis of Weasels.
I think Putin is smart and pragmatic, he knows that an alliance with us is a winning solution for Russia, while he won't get anything from France.
But also remember, that Clinton was not able to form any relationship with Putin, mostly, because Putin knew that Clinton was a flake and couldn't be counted on to keep his word.
Putin, naturally is not going to do everything at once, but I think, that when he and Bush agreed to scrap the ABM treaty, that was a major concession from his viewpoint.