I think it was a minor miracle no one "lost the head" and started shooting in Crimea - with wildly unpredictable results.  The chances of the same happening with NATO troops (and Russian special forces) inserted all over Eastern Ukraine must be close to zero - whatever the armchair generals in neo-con think tanks might think in their game playing scenarios.  Don't forget there are many actors on both sides who might actually want a shooting war...and the situation could very quickly spiral out of control.

Index of Frank's Diaries