chapotraphouse

A good comparison might be "what if Maine really wanted to be independent, or maybe even join Canada?"

Would it make sense to:

• Give American neo-Nazi paramilitaries free reign to attack Maine
• Seek an alliance with a group of nations expressly designed to fight a war with Canada
• Get into a bloody stalemate of a war with Canada if they invade on behalf of the people of Maine, who don't want to be here anyway
• Keep fighting that war long after the point it becomes apparent that we will not be retaking Maine

A better solution would have been to negotiate with Maine separatists, perhaps addressing the reason they want to leave, and at bare minimum act like a sovereign state with a monopoly on legitimate violence and destroy the neo-Nazi paramilitaries in your own house. Might also help to avoid the "fuck Canada" military alliance, too.