Palau was the last trusteeship, not only of the United States but the last trusteeship in the world. For 25 years the United States tried to negotiate an agreement--a compact--with Palau. Under this compact, Palau would gain its independence as a Freely Associated State and a large amount of money, $500 million; while the U.S. obtained certain military base rights and passage of nuclear power ships and submarines. The compact took on enormous symbolic importance throughout the world because of a provision in the Palau Constitution that Palau could not grant the U.S. nuclear rights without...