How will the Empire react to Russia's provocation? NATO-Russian collaboration is over, that is clear. The Cold War rhetoric will 'go through the roof' and NATO can be expected to forward deploy some assets (which makes no military sense whatsoever, but is a way of 'showing the flag'). I personally would not put it past the 'crazies in the basement' to actually deploy military forces in Georgia in a reenactment of the Berlin crisis with Russian and US troops looking at each other across a demarcation line in Georgia. The political crisis in the Ukraine will escalate as, on one hand, Yushchenko & Co. will press for an accelerated integration into NATO while most of the population is firmly opposed to this idea. There is a very real risk of Russia taking unilateral action in Crimea if NATO persists in its plans to incorporate the Ukraine (just imagine what a NATO base in Sevastopol would look from a Russian point of view!) -God willing, the Empire will simply tend to its bruised ego and get it over with, but I don't expect it. Things are about to get much worse. Reuters: Russia must "cancel" Georgia region recognitions: NATO. The Saker: Neocon bellicose hysterics against Russia: the WSJ leads the charge (Links).