| Summary/Abstract |
The historical (colonial) origins of the British Indian Ocean Territory as a discrete administrative unit have encumbered the territory with some damaging political pathologies. These problems cannot be remedied by decision makers in London or Washington and will only worsen over time. I conclude that the United States should now back Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands—not only because supporting decolonization is the ethical and legally required thing to do (although these motivations ought to weigh heavily on US decision makers) but also because there is a hardheaded strategic rationale for preferring Port Louis over London as a landlord.
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