[spitz]

Shallow comment. Try this for a memory jogger.

"From the day it broke away from the British Empire the United States has been living in large measure under the protection of that Empire, and in particular of the British Fleet"

President Harry S Truman - 20 March 1947

[exit82]

Gee, I wonder if that time span includes or excludes the War of 1812? Didn't see much protection from the British Fleet then. Or during the Civil War for that matter. And when did the British Fleet protect America during World War 2?

President Truman was a nice man, and I don't know the context in which he made this quote. But he was no history professor.