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Shots have been fired and bombs dropped and all talk of truces and ceasefires has stopped. What was a simmering diplomatic dispute looks like it will turn into a nasty, full-scale war that has within it the seeds of wider conflict.
Georgia and Russia are on the verge of battle over disputed territory. Now the question being asked is will Russia come fully to the aid of the separatists and will the US come to the aid of the Georgians?
In the fog of war, the exact details are unclear, but a serious conflict is brewing in the Caucasus and represents the first major test for Russia's new president, Dmitry Medvedev.
But will Medvedev be allowed to formulate his own policy or will Prime Minister Vladimir Putin be the real power?
There must be a determined and united response from both the European Union and America demanding that both sides cease escalation. It may be ignored, but at least Russia and Georgia will understand that they have little support in the international community for war.
Any conflict in that region is likely to drag in other countries with simmering border disputes. There is little time to spare to stop a potential catastrophe.
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