Obama: Russia doesn't make anything

(Economist) President Obama has dismissed Russia as a nation that "doesn't make anything" in an interview with the Economist magazine. He downplayed Moscow's role in the world, saying that Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, was a leader causing short-term trouble for political gain that would hurt Russia in the long term. He said at 28 minutes into the talk:

"I do think it's important to keep perspective. Russia doesn't make anything," "Immigrants aren't rushing to Moscow in search of opportunity. The life expectancy of the Russian male is around 60 years old. The population is shrinking."

Ouch. The man whose foreign policy has virtually set the world on fire has just thrown a can of petrol over somebody who he really should be trying to communicate with. What a prick. But then why should he care? He's ruined the US and, like Nero fiddling while Rome burnt, the Commander-in-Chief went out and played another round of golf. Nice.