U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin fought for the soul of the United Nations this morning in dueling General Assembly speeches centered on the bloodshed in Iraq and Syria that renewed hostility between the two countries. At a luncheon for world leaders after their speeches, Putin celebrated, smiling as he touched his glass to Obama's during a toast by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. In return, he received an icy stare from Obama, who diplomatically clinked his glass in return. Their earlier trading of barbs encompassed the Kremlin's military involvement in Ukraine and its support of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, whom Obama referred to in his remarks as a 'tyrant' who 'drops barrel bombs to massacre innocent children' that must be removed from power.Putin shamed the United States for attempting to 'export' its version of democracy to Iraq in 2003 and Libya in 2011Obama slapped Putin for supporting Syrian 'tyrant' Bashar al-Assad, who he said 'drops barrel bombs to massacre innocent children'Shortly after 5 pm Eastern, the world leaders were meeting in private, but they came face-to-face during a luncheonThe two heads of state have not had a formal, in-person conversation since Russian separatists invaded Eastern Ukraine last yearTop Republican on the Armed Services Committee, John McCain, says Obama is playing 'right into Putin's hands' in taking the meeting
_ was met with applause after he said, 'Catastrophes, like what we are seeing in Syria, do not take place in countries where there is genuine democracy and respect for the universal values this institution is supposed to defend.'