Obama, Putin take conflicting views on Syria

President Obama could learn a lot from President Jimmy Carter, and he should.

"Arrogance" doesn't even begin to describe the president's vanity. In fact, there may not even be a word in the English language that can correctly define Mr. Obama's self-adoration.

When asked what he thought of Donald Trump, he replied: "I think that he is a great publicity-seeker and at a time when the Republican party hasn't really figured out what it's for, as opposed to what it's against".

First Lady Michelle Obama has said in the past that she is happy her husband can not run again.

Here's a leader that Obama and our own "Posh" Dave could learn a lesson or two from.

Obama's benevolence is as overwhelming as his ego.

"Fresh" has several definitions. And I think it's very clear that the United States government had the satellite images which demonstrated that Russian Federation was engaged in the military buildup in Syria around the Latakia air base.

Kroft responds that he wasn't saying Putin is being a leader, but that Putin did seem to be challenging the president's own leadership in Syria by getting Russian Federation involved there. This is a very lonely and unsafe position for Obama to take in Washington. He had also placed himself beside Abraham Lincoln.

President Obama concluded his discussion of foreign policy by telling Mr. Kroft that that America is a safer place today because of a reduced threat of terrorism, that USA strategic alliances are stronger, and America has a better reputation around the world.

In the interview for the "60 minutes" program, which was prerecorded on Tuesday and broadcast last night in the United States, Obama stressed that part of the strategy of the administration was to try out different possibilities, adding that in such a volatile situation and with so many actors on the ground in Syria there are no simple solutions. When I came into office, Ukraine was governed by a corrupt ruler who was a stooge of Mr. Putin.

Give the president credit, he must be a member of the Mensa Society for being able to concoct an explanation like that. Asking Obama about his comments a year ago that America is the indispensable nation and that America leads, Kroft commented that Vladimir Putin "seems to be challenging that leadership" with his actions in Syria.

"If you think leadership is running your economy into the ground and having to send troops in to prop up your only ally, then we have different definitions of leadership", Obama shot back. Contrary to the president's claims about having "pretty good intelligence", only a few weeks ago, Secretary of State John Kerry was claiming Russia's mission in Syria was an entirely defensive exercise in "force protection". More conservative Republicans have criticized the president for not being more decisive on the issue. You got a half a billion dollars from Congress to train and equip 5,000, and at the end, according to the commander CENTCOM, you got 50 people, most of whom are dead or deserted.

That will be his legacy. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media.

KROFT: So you knew he was already planning to do it?