South Ossetia, Georgia, and Russia heading towards war (updated)

Let me start with saying: STOP THIS!

I do not get this. I really don't get it. This armed conflict does not serve either side, civilians get killed for nothing, and the situation that has existed more or less stabile during the last 16 years will not be solved with weapons now.

I was aware that the conflict(s) in Georgia was (were) getting serious when a colleague of mine who was working in the Georgian capital Tsibilisi from May to July was telling me that it could well become ugly. But I honestly thought that the smaller border clashes of the last weeks would be it.

But now it's getting really serious. The European blogosphere is starting to react to the Georgian invasion of the separatist region South Ossetia and the threats of Moscow to protect "its" citizens (which are mainly South Ossetian citizens having received Russian passports). European media (Le Monde, El País, BBC, SPIEGEL), even the local one's, are reporting about the situation, which is quite a good indicator that something is really going on.

From a Georgian blog we know that it is still "All calm in Tbilisi". But there are reports from the South Ossetian region that more than a dozen civilians have been killed. Georgia is calling on its reservist to mobilise. Russian prime minister Putin has threatened to "react" on to the situation.

It does not sound like the situation would quickly calm down. It seems as if we were going to see a violent situation - or even a war - that could well take some time.

And since I consider the Caucasus region a part of Europe - we are seeing Europe at the eve of yet another war.

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Update:

Please read "A Fistful of Euros" on the issue: Here and here.