[lonelappde]

A small nation has less coordinated power and would get walked over by USSR and China.

If the US was 50 small nations in WWII, Hitler more likely would have won.

[gremlinsinc]

France, Germany, etc all have their own armies but are part of the EU, and United Nations.

The states could be more like that.. a loose federation that only comes together in times of war but other than that the state decides their own constitutions, etc..and have their own presidents/etc..