They really *HATE* each other!

I have been following US-Soviet and US-Russian relations since at least age 5, and professionally most of my adult life, and I have never seen two leaders so obviously hating each other as Putin and Obama.  I just watched their joint press conference at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland and I am truly left speechless: the mood was clearly so ice cold that one could almost visualize frost building around (and even on) the two leaders.  Just look at this screenshot:

Some facial expression and body language, no?

Putin actually went as far as thanking Obama for a "frank exchange of views" which, in diplomatic language, is tantamount to an admission of a verbal fist fight.

I am not surprised by that.  Putin probably despises Obama for being the spineless prostitute that he is, whereas Obama probably hates and fears Putin for daring to say "no" to the Anglo Empire.  But the fact that both of these men made only a modicum of efforts to conceal their intense dislike for each other really amazes me.  We are far from the skillfully orchestrated love fest between Kerry and Lavrov.  

I know, one should not judge on appearance.  But I will do that anyway.  I feel that 4 decades of careful observation of such meetings grant me that right.  And here is what I read into this: Putin comprehensively rejected everything Obama wanted from him.  The pretense is now over - Russia and the USA are on a clear collision course.

The Saker