At 8/22/12 11:23 PM, Warforger wrote: For one having a powerful navy by now isn't as important as it was back then because of airplanes, by now we can go around the world in a day and go over countries, back then the only way to get around the world was by boat.

Just caught this gem.

Completely and utterly wrong. Aircraft simply do not have the capability to carry the supplies necessary to support an invasion force...or even a big enough invasion force to take over (much less hold) a country the size of the US. So you still need boats to transfer people and goods: commercially or militarily.

So we have to:
1) Keep the sea lanes open for shipping (free from pirates and rogue regimes).
2) Monitor the seas for in-bound threats.
3) The Air Force can provide strategic air assets (bombers) anytime, anywhere. The Navy cannot. However, the Navy can project tactical air assets (fighters & attack aircraft) much faster than the Air Force can.

So again...the founders are still correct today just as they were in 1776. :)