There is an interesting display of ignorance and knee jerk reactions in the comments section of Ed Brayton's blog post on Romney's comments on the relative (absolute?) strength of the USN today and in 1916 on FreeThoughtBlogs.
Some absurdities:
Criticising a methodology (not Romney's a different assessment that scores in relative terms the USN today as more powerful than the RN at the height of its power, which has the feel of possibly being a correct conclusion, though always worth another look) without reading (or reading but not understanding) the references. (As usual the references can be argued with, but that is a different discussion, and one between friends). My advice, if someone makes an assertion based on a reference that is easily accessible, read the reference before ridiculing the claim. Failure to do so just makes you look stupid.
Jingoism.
Failure in large measure to understand that naval power is not only generated by ships and their weapons, but also by land based systems (and when some cognisance is taken of this failing to realise it cuts both ways).
..and many more but I am getting tired of typing now, but not as tired as I am of the idiocy/stupidity of American election campaigns.
