Commentary Sometimes you get more than one chance to make a first impression. So it is with the United States and Tonga—the small but important nation in the South Pacific that recently was hit by a volcanic eruption and tsunami. The United States was one of the first countries to sign a treaty with Tonga, in 1886, helping ensure its sovereignty at a time when neighboring countries were being gobbled up by colonial powers. It was also there for Tonga during World War Two, when troops were stationed in the country to keep it safe from yet another threat to its sovereignty. But, since then, Tonga hasn’t been high on the U.S. government’s priority list—as evidenced by the absence of an American Embassy in Tonga. Instead, it’s “covered” by the American Embassy in Fiji. There are excuses of course: Not enough money or manpower, too busy elsewhere, and it’s Australia …