Statehood as Strategic Leverage
FIRST INSTANCE: The War of 1898 and the Insular Cases The annexation of Puerto Rico in 1898, following the Spanish-American War, marks the initial deployment of 'national security' as a primary rationale for U.S. territorial expansion. The Teller Amendment explicitly disavowed annexation of Cuba, but no such pledge was made for Puerto Rico or the Philippines. Key figures like Alfred Thayer Mahan,
whose 'The Influence of Sea Power Upon History' (1890) significantly shaped U.S. naval doctrine, argued for strategic coaling stations and naval bases in the Caribbean for hemispheric defense. This perspective directly influenced President McKinley’s administration, which viewed Puerto Rico as a vital military outpost (Trask, 1996). The subsequent Insular Cases (beginning with Downes v. Bidwell ,
1901) legally enshrined Puerto Rico's status as an 'unincorporated territory.' This legal precedent, still largely unchallenged, established a unique colonial relationship where inhabitants are U.S. citizens but without full constitutional rights or voting representation, allowing Congress to govern as it sees fit. This legal framework was explicitly designed to allow strategic acquisition without
full democratic integration, demonstrating a foundational double standard: self-determination for some, but strategic necessity for others. REPETITIONS: Cold War Justifications and Economic Dependency During the Cold War, the 'national security' argument for maintaining U.S. control over Puerto Rico intensified. The island's strategic location became paramount for anti-submarine warfare and as a