Funny, but I would put S. Ossetia on the other side of the Kosovo analogy. Like Kosovo, it wants autonomy from its ethnically distinct parent (Georgia). It was specifically the example of Kosovo that encouraged the S. Ossetians to break away in the first place. But with typical two-faced US policy, splitting Kosovo off from Serbia was good (because we don't like Serbia), but splitting off S. Ossetia from Georgia is bad (because we like Georgia).

I've read that something like 90% of the South Ossetians hold Russian passports. They'd be much happier being part of Russia than Georgia. Saakashvili attacked 12 hours after suckering the South Ossetians into a cease fire, and the attack killed a bunch of Russian troops.

Given the treacherous attack, the sentiments of South Ossetia, and the way the US has been trying to use Georgia against Russia, I wouldn't expect the Russians to stop until they've secured S.O. and given the Georgian's a thorough drubbing, and they may require Saakashvili's removal before they'll stop.

Just a note about the Atimes citation, the Chechens and Dudayev armed themselves from USSR armories and declared independence long before any US or UK diplomat could find Chechnya on a map or undertsand its importance enough to provide it support. That the BTC was taken out by the PKK days before the attack, also raises questions about PKK-Russian ties.