Blame the French for that.
They fk’d it up and like everyting else in the 20th century, we came in and fixed in an exemplary fashion and with our usual aplomb.
Oh, and fk South America if they are still bitchin about this.
You actually wanted this for commercial reasons and the canal had financially accretive value for nearly eveyone, even Central America.
You do remember we gave it back?
WE did not give it back, CARTER gave it back!