This report from the Conservative opposition that the British government is potentially thinking about delaying plans to build two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers seems to me to be an admission from the the Brits that they're not even going to pretend that they're a world-class naval power anymore.
I'm betting that Admiral Horatio Nelson is spinning at about 2000 RPM in his crypt right about now.
Bell-ringer 1533 12 Dec 08: Here's a discussion of the official announcement of a "one to two year" delay in carrier construction.