The temper of a country is often found in its wit. In Djakarta, the capital of the island nation of Indonesia, a government official last week whispered the latest crack: "Anyone who is not totally confused is just very badly informed." Another, and more troubling, crack is that what the tropical paradise of Indonesia needs is "a_cold winter or Mao Tse-tung." Lamented the Times of Indonesia: "Tension is in the air everywhere today. The one sentiment expressed on all sides is that of frustration."
Despite a climate in which anything grows, despite proven oilfields, brimming natural resources and a population...