Russia vs ISIS, Action-time...

Co-authored by William Witenberg a contemporary artist focused on abstract painting

If ISIS video claiming credit for the downing of Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula is correct, the consequences to ISIS and the middle east as a whole will be dramatic. While the British Prime Minister and President Obama have indicated, that it is looking increasingly likely that there was a bomb aboard; President Putin has underlined the need not to rush to judgment, and let Russian and Egyptian investigators finish their investigations. If it was ISIS and if history is any guide, President Putin's respond will be dramatic, violent, and in light of the location of ISIS, will change the power dynamic in the whole middle east. Putin's approach to the terrorist activity, whether in Moscow, Chechnya, Dagestan, or North Ossetiya is sing ivied by extreme force and focus on "total extermination" of terrorists. While it is impossible to predict the exact nature of his response, we expect the following: Putin had indicated he would not be putting troops on the ground in Syria, but now It is likely to change. Russian army is likely to seek to engage ISIS directly as well as its supporters in Syria and Iraq. Putin will likely go outside of Syria and Iraq, and into the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, plane's departure area. Putin's goal is not to just punish ISIS, but to destroy it. When he is done he will be perceived as the most powerful and important foreign force in all of the Middle East. Forbes Magazine, when ranking Putin the most powerful man in the world said, "Russian President Putin emerged as the world's most powerful person for the third year running. Putin continues to prove he's one of the few men in the world powerful enough to do what he wants..." The bombing of a Russian airliner may be the swan song for ISIS and push Putin to do what world has known has to be done: destroy ISIS.