Fake Belgian news report frightens nation...

[afleitch]

Belgium has been had. On Wednesday, a French-language television station hoodwinked the country, reporting that Flanders had declared its independence. It was a hoax, just like the one Orson Welles perpetrated on the United States in 1938 with the radio broadcast of “War of the Worlds.” And as in the U.S., this one caused a bit of a panic. 

From an AP report:

Frantic viewers flooded the call center of the RTBF broadcaster that aired the stunt. Embassies called Belgian authorities to find out what was going on, while foreign journalists scrambled to get confirmation.

“Ambassadors who were worried asked what they had to tell their capitals,” said Senate Chair Anne-Marie Lizin. “This fiction was seen as a reality and it created a catastrophic image of the country."

The network that broadcast the program defended itself, claiming it revealed the ‘importance of debate on the future of Belgium.”

'NEWSFLASH' - here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IsWT5jCcuo

[afleitch]

Well so many people believed it because Flanders has been threatening secession, or a looser union, for at least a decade now and especially since the rise of Vlaams Blok/Belang.

I'm a supporter of Felmish independence (I go there quite alot anyway and I fell in love with it) but I get the impression any independence declaration would be less spontaneous, Afterall, everything else there is like clockwork

[afleitch]

Scottish Rebels Seize Holyrood and Most of Edinburgh; Vow To Continue Fight Until Indpendence Is Granted

Not so far fetched Particularly if Scotland votes 'yes' and Westminster dig in their heels. Regardless of how people feel about independence, I think there would be public protests if it was denied after a public vote. As a civil servant I would probably strike if I believe Scotland's sovereignty was being violated.

It would be fun to make a timeline of such a scenario

[afleitch]

For entertainment go look up Operation Gladio if you haven't heard of it.  The details are .... interesting.

Indeed It appears to an extension of the thinking that existed in 44-45 when some insisted that the Axis powers should be forced into a swift peace and we would use its armed forces, intelligence and leaders to keep heading east into the Soviet Union.