Russia/Georgia reactions

CNN reports on international reaction to Russia's escalation of the fighting (attacking targets outside South Ossetia).

The official said European allies have told the United States that Russia has "crossed a line of unacceptable behavior" and should "expect international condemnation." "I do sense an emerging unified view among our key allies," he said.

The return of history, indeed. What sort of diplomacy will we see, I wonder? Will we see Europe and America unified, guaranteeing Georgian territory (excluding Ossetia)? Or will we tell Georgia "I told you so" and stay out of it?

Inevitably Western diplomats will be going to sleep tonight, having nightmares about the return of the cold war. This is energy "politics" at its worst, and the forseeable result of Russia's recent willingness to wield resource control as an economic weapon, a method of control.

Updates roll in at Foreign Policy and elsewhere, as well as on major news wires.

New York Times has a good background piece, Taunting the Bear.