I did not say Putin was irrelevant. I said he may be tired of appearing so, as most of the examples you cite are behind the scenes activities. The current Syrian move was certainly a very in-your-face one, and many people who don’t usually pay attention are paying attention now.
Another situation to watch is what kind of double game the Turks are playing now. Two anti Assad media folk murdered (beheaded?) in Turkey, much anti Kurd activity in a number of different manners, etc.
the two boys beheaded were anti ISIS, not anti Assad
Must have been terrifying