Update: And once again, McQ beats me to the punch. Eh, well, this is an important story and my take is a bit different. For what it's worth, I'm not quite sure that Russia plans to stop and let Georgia remain sovereign at all. As of this writing, they look to be pushing into central Georgia. In some respects, the point is moot. Georgia will effectively be helpless before Russia and a more willing partner. It's difficult to be independent with a noose around the neck.

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Russia's ongoing assault on Georgia bodes ill for Europe and the world. I do believe that history will show this action to be a seminal moment in the shift in world power. Russia herself is not all that strong, but if she controls Europe, she doesn't have to be strong, just strong enough. Mikheil Saakashvili writes in the Wall Street Journal today:

Ostensibly, this war is about an unresolved separatist conflict. Yet in reality, it is a war about the independence and the future of Georgia. And above all, it is a war over the kind of Europe our children will live in. Let us be frank: This conflict is about the future of freedom in Europe.

No country of the former Soviet Union has made more progress toward consolidating democracy, eradicating corruption and building an independent foreign policy than Georgia. This is precisely what Russia seeks to crush.

The first step in warfare is economic. With this military action against Georgia, Russia wages economic war on Europe. The analogies to Tibet extend only to an imperialistic nation consuming an independent neighbor. Russia's action is entirely different. Putin wants to control the region and Europe sits and watches while he is beginning to do just that.

More from Tigerhawk about the absent anti-war movement.

And, this should encourage you guys, McCain actually saw this coming. Well, so did I, but I don't think this makes me a foreign policy genius It might make Obama a dummy for not seeing it. I'm being generous here.

Cross-posted at MelissaClouthier.com