The answer is: Amadinnerjacket believes he can bring forth the Mahdi. As a matter of fact, I'm not too sure he doesn't have someone all set to pose as the Mahdi so he can rally all the Shiia people to his cause. That's why we have to be very sure of what we are doing when we retaliate. We have to go in with surgical precision so the people see they are not being attacked.
That's been my take. Putin and cronies don't buy into the Mahdi thing, but have been/will use it to their full advantage. IMO