Rule number 1 of international sovereignty which has been valid throughout human history. You are sovereign iff you are able to defend your territory. If you c

Rule number 1 of international sovereignty which has been valid throughout human history. You are sovereign iff you are able to defend your territory. If you cannot defend your territory you are not sovereign. * There have been some exemptions for religious or cultural centers, or if you are a buffer between great powers but those have been rare.