It’s not coolness. It actually is weakness. Not too difficult to decipher.
Unless the whole thing is unfolding as Obama planned - perhaps this is something that Obama had the freedom to discuss after the election.
We are watching the development of a Russia-Syria-Iran axis. As a counterweight to Israel. So yes, it's possible that Obama desires it.
Psychological projection, also known as blame shifting, is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against unpleasant impulses by denying their existence in themselves, while attributing them to others
From Wiki