Does Putin Really Feel The Pinch?

Interesting developments in the Russia/Ukraine conflict lately. While Putin's Proxies, otherwise known as the "Russian Sympathizing Rebels" of Eastern Ukraine (who just happen to have all bought their Camo-Fatigue uniforms at the same store, probably located somewhere in Russia, and just happen to be superbly armed, with the latest Russian-made military weapons) continue to violate their recently negotiated cease-fire agreement with the Ukrainian government, our lily-livered president is busy with our timid European allies thinking up new and "painful" Diplomatic Sanctions with which to punish the Russians further. Boy, they really know how to "sock it to them", don't they! They really believe that driving the Russian economy into near bankruptcy will have a greater effect upon them than "boots on the ground" tactics will. I understand that responding with troops is impractical, but there are other ways to support the Ukrainian forces, which I am unaware of any movement in this regard. As the Russian economy swoons from the "double-whammy" of the sanctions, and the falling prices of oil, and Natural Gas, which are Russia's two primary sources of international export revenue, reports are now circulating that Putin has promised to prop up the economy without cutting expenditures for either the military, or social services. Since their bonds are now rated as "junk status" where does he plan to get the money to do all this "propping-up" with, one wonders?

Hmmmm, it seems like it might be a convenient time for a little invasion of the Middle-East, in order to take over those Saudi oil fields that are refusing to stop pumping until the international prices begin to rise again. Both the forcing of the prices to rise, and the added oil production capacity of the Middle-East oil reserves is one way that Putin can "prop up" his nation's economy, sanctions not withstanding. There's just one little problem with that, though. Israel could certainly be expected to come to the aid of their neighbors, regardless of their differences, in the face of such bold-faced aggression.

No problemmo! How about turning the Muslim terrorists loose against Israel, since they've been wanting to drive Israel into the Mediterranean Sea for decades. The only problem here is a little thing called "God"! If He exists, and He certainly does (whether Putin believes it, or not) He has promised to defend His people from just such an invasion, turning their evil intentions back on themselves, until some 83% of their invasion force is destroyed (in Ezekiel 38, & 39). So, all this blustering back and forth, between Putin, and Obama and the European allies, with their sanctions, may only serve to drive Russia into the Middle-East all the sooner. We'll see!