“So when you see a difference in appearence between a Chinese and a black it is racism? I applaud your value scale.” And I applaud your total ignorance: To be Chinese is to be a citizen of China (nationality), when to be black is part of skin coloration due to biology. They are blond and blue eyes Chinese, someone told me.

“RUSSIA'S DOUBTFUL LIKELIHOOD TO HAVE A COMLETE MILITARY VICTORY IN HOT MOUNTAINEOUS COUNTRY POPULATED BY HOSTILE MUSLIMS, not about civil wars between the locals.” Ooh, I didn’t know that ISIL was in complete agreement with the Kurds, the Alawits and others Arab populations or Christians minority (Syro-Chaldean).

“You may not be aware that the population of Ukraine is pretty much racially homogeneous (is is racism yet?)”: There is only one human race, so per definition, all humans are racially homogenous… So, to answer your question, to artificially create differences within the human race is racism.

“ The success of the Soviet army boiled down to holding strategic locations (mainly cities and some mountains controlling the roads). Elsewhere was the domain of the guerillas.” So, the Russians and their allies had (controlled) the rich towns and valleys and the Guerrillas controlled the barren rocks. All right…

“Being successful (as you and others claim) they eventually legged it.” As you pointed out, that was not the debate, but your claim that Russia couldn’t win against ISIL as show by their military defeat in Afghanistan. So case closed as you agree they were not, in fact, defeated.

“This is what I argue is likely to happen to Russians in Syria.” That is not impossible indeed, but even Yahoo had to agree that the Syrian Army had retaken some village, and Hezbollah is preparing for major offensive against ISIL, thanks to Russian bombing campaign. So, it is possible that Russia did play well.