What is news?

There were two major events that the BBC covered this morning.  One was the trial in a foreign country of a citizen of that country, all be it a very high profile one.  The second was a media conference for the worlds media by the First Minster of Scotland.  Appearing alongside Mr Salmond was Canon Kenyon Wright, who with considerable wisdom and grace chaired the Scottish Constitutional Convention that paved the way for the creation of the devolved parliament, and who now backs independence.

Now, George Robertson the former secretary general of NATO, claims that "The loudest cheers for the break-up of Britain would be from our adversaries and from our enemies.  For the second military power in the west to shatter this year would be cataclysmic in geo-political terms."  Strong words.

You and I both know I’m no SNP stooge.  But you I’m sure you remember that George is the man that predicted that devolution would kill the SNP stone dead, so his predictions perhaps don't hold too much water you may think. You may also prefer the views of another former NATO person, except of more recent years.  Dame Mariot Leslie, the recently retired UK ambassador to NATO has revealed she is voting Yes to Scottish independence and said the international alliance would welcome the new Scottish state.

But here is the strange thing. In spite of the devastating consequences that apparently a new independent government would bring to world order, the BBC focused on Oscar Pistorious in its rolling 24 hour news channel. 

Bit odd that don't you think?