The man of action, Vladimir Putin, may find himself unseated

By advancing into Syria, Vladimir Putin will really test the patience of a long-suffering Russian public and militarily may have bitten off more than he can chew, writes William E Pomeranz    

In his United Nations speech on Monday, Russian president Vladimir Putin called on the world to join Russia’s fight against terrorism while preserving Syria as a nation.

He had already boldly forced the issue by sending troops, weapons, and aircraft to Syria in the expressed hope that the rest of the world would feel compelled to follow his lead.