   :Why would having embassies and international relations make annexation and statehood shocking?  The Republic of Hawaii, which replaced the Kingdom of Hawaii, had international relations and embassies.  As a weary veteran of POV wars regarding the pro-sovereignty POV, I have to say I'm very skeptical that adding citations of international recognition for the various governments that have ruled over the Hawaiian islands doesn't add very much to the article.  I would suggest that if you would like to introduce your citations back into the article, that in order to avoid the cherry-picking of history you mention, please also include citations that the Republic of Hawaii was universally internationally recognized, and the annexation of Hawaii was universally internationally recognized.  Only highlighting the international recognition of the Hawaiian Kingdom seems to be POV pushing if the other governments of Hawaii are not accorded the same detail, don't you think?  :Insofar as improbable roads, did you realize that after the Paulet affair, Kamehameha III negotiated a treaty of annexation with the U.S., which was only thwarted by his untimely death?  Had Kamehameha III lived longer, Hawaii may have become a part of the United States nearly 50 years earlier than it did.  