Your right, Canal Zone would have made 57 states, territories, and jurisdictions of the US, and Obama was in school before Carter acted. So you are saying that the Canal Zone is now a part of and governed by Panama. Is it sort of like Hong Kong now being part of China?
Yes, we no longer have an jurisdiction of the Canal Zone, except for ‘protection’ of the ‘Freedom of the Seas’.
Last I heard, China had the contract to maintain and operate the Canal and it locks and train.
John McCain was born in the Canal Zone............ironic........