After four years of bitter fighting and endless negotiations, it looks as Indonesia would get the freedom it wanted, though both continue to cooperate with each other.

A few hours before dawn, a bleary-eyed night porter at The Hague’s stuffy Hotel des Indes (named for The Netherlands’ once vast and profitable colonies) opened the heavy oaken door for a weary guest, who went promptly to his room, and to sleep. He was slim, patient Jan Herman van…