<snip> They are not independent (like the Phillippines is after we left - and Spain before us), nor they are a State with full rights and votes like Hawaii.<snip>

Alex
for small countries is very difficult to be independent.
This is one of the reason to appears Unated States, this is the reason to appears European Union. If 80% of some countries GDP is from expor /import it is economicaly dependable. To support army or space flights is very expensive lusury, which could afford oly large countries.
In large countries/unions always some one will be with breaked right, because different communities have different needs and some one should make his/her trade off