Originally posted by astralis
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Germany comes to mind ww2 upto 1991, four cleanly designated sectors then it becomes one.
Vietnam fought to stay together
Korea is still divided.
Hong Kong & Macau came with fixed terms.
Iraq is a future possibility, one country with three autonomous areas.
The gulf states particularly, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar & UAE are British creations. Provided military bases. Otherwise would have been swallowed up either by Iran or the Saudis. Gulf war 1 began becasue Saddam tried to repossess Kuwiat which was carved out of Iraq.
The need to have a military presence in strategic areas or choke points means great power competition to control, maintain or obtain concessions in these areas.
The term 'client states' is a bit problematic though. I doubt those gulf countries or S.Korea would consider themselves as such. Allies might be the more PC term.
Applying to this to India, ports on the Indian ocean/bay of Bengal, Andamans would be of great power interest. The eastern seaboard provides access to the ME and East Africa and the west allows access to East Asia. Both seaboards implies a vantage point over the Indian Ocean. So there is a motivation to push into the interior if anything just to establish a power base. Extent of that power proportional to land under one's control. This would create its own dyamic inside the country for local players to increase their land share.
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