<P> Albania has often been called the 51st state for its perceived strongly pro-American positions, mainly because of the United States' policies towards it . In reference to President George W. Bush's 2007 European tour, Edi Rama, Tirana's mayor and leader of the opposition Socialists, said: "Albania is for sure the most pro-American country in Europe, maybe even in the world...Nowhere else can you find such respect and hospitality for the President of the United States . Even in Michigan, he wouldn't be as welcome ." At the time of ex-Secretary of State James Baker's visit in 1992, there was even a move to hold a referendum declaring the country as the 51st American state . In addition to Albania, Kosovo which is predominately Albanian is seen as a 51st state due to the heavily presence and influence of the United States . The US has had troops and the largest base outside US territory, Camp Bondsteel in the territory since 1999 . </P> <P> There was a movement among the Azores archipelago to break away from Portugal and join the United States in the late 19th century through the early 20th century . Feeling that they were being unfairly exploited by the authorities on the mainland, this movement believed the best solution was to have the United States govern them . This movement was fueled by a large number of immigrants to the United States, particularly to the New England states, for labor and educational reasons . Also establishing a close social connection between the Azores and the United States were American whaling companies . New England and New York - based whaling ships frequently used the Azores as an overseas base of operations and employed large number of the local population to man the ships . The movement to have the United States annex the Azores reached its climax during World War I when the United States Navy established a base of operations in the Azores . Sensing that the Americans were doing more to defend the Azores from the Germans than the Portuguese Government was, particularly during the raid of SM U-155 on the Azores in 1917, many local politicians openly demanded a change . American Naval officers and politicians, notably Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt, however, dismissed any idea of the United States taking control . </P> <P> In 1989, the Los Angeles Times proclaimed that Denmark becomes the 51st state every Fourth of July, because Danish citizens in and around Aalborg celebrate the American independence day . </P> <P> Poland has historically been staunchly pro-American, dating back to General Tadeusz Kościuszko and Casimir Pulaski's involvement in the American Revolution . This pro-American stance was reinforced following favorable American intervention in World War I (leading to the creation of an independent Poland) and the Cold War (culminating in a Polish state independent of Soviet influence). Poland contributed a large force to the "Coalition of the Willing" in Iraq . A quote referring to Poland as "the 51st state" has been attributed to James Pavitt, then Central Intelligence Agency Deputy Director for Operations, especially in connection to extraordinary rendition . </P>

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