Russian President Vladimir Putin is a very lucky man. Instead of running a Russian spy network in some sleepy Central European country, as his training and career once suggested he would, he skyrocketed to the top position in the Kremlin. There, inexperienced and vulnerable, he faced not the consolidated financial oligarchy of the new Russia, but a collection of disunited, bemused, wealthy individuals, whom he, to his own surprise, easily neutralized one by one.
His international debut occurred when U.S. President Bill Clinton was already a lame duck who, devastated by the Monica Lewinsky scandal, kept a low profile and provided no leadership for the Western world. When America chose George W. Bush for its new president, Putin had every reason to suspect that the conservative Texan would be tough on Moscow; instead, a honeymoon blossomed. For reasons unknown, Bush took a strong liking to Putin.
The atmosphere of the recent Crawford summit was idyllic, packed with smiles, jokes and handshakes. No tangible agreement was reached on the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty, but this hardly matters. Both Putin and Bush enjoy the firm support of their constituents. With excellent chances of being re-elected for a second term, they don't have to be in haste to make a deal.