Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin's assumption of the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council for October could have a lightning rod effect on the Security Council finally authorising military action against Islamic State and Al Nusra under article 42 of the UN Charter.
Both terrorist organisations have been the subject of many unanimous Security Council resolutions declaring them to be a threat to world peace and security--but all such resolutions have stopped short of authorising military action.
American-Russian relations are in a precarious and highly volatile situation today due to:
The collapse of the ceasefire in Syria negotiated between America and Russia,