Let's not be too harsh on poor Peter. He has learned to recite something about the difference between patriotism and nationalism to make himself appear thoughtful. Now that he has learned to recite that analogy, he is like a kid with a new toy. And, hey, it is a hell of a lot easier to recite insipid analogies than to actually spend a lot of time reading about history.
Which reminds me. I still would love to see Peter Jennings' book list.