Audrey Young: all go, now the rock is out of the way

President Barack Obama and John Key in 2009. Photo / File

The "rock in the road", as Americans termed the nuclear difficulties in the relationship with New Zealand a few years ago, is no longer an impediment.

It has been pushed to the side, and the road has been turned into a freeway - the rock is still there but it is not slowing things down.

The relationship is changing quickly, especially in the defence area.

But that is not surprising - that is where the reprisals against New Zealand in the presidential directive were aimed.

WikiLeaks shows the US tried to have closer defence co-operation with New Zealand when Helen Clark was Prime Minister. She delayed, suspicious of the US motives.

Eventually she agreed to eight new areas of co-operation. They were not controversial but even so, the US insisted it all be kept under wraps.

The US was nervous about how Clark might use visits of admirals to her advantage and sought minimal publicity on some occasions.

That's what sets the Obama Administration apart. The President, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell reviewed the relationship and once they decided it was all go, it has been all go.

Clinton announced the resumption of a full intelligence relationship. Joint exercises have begun. Next move troops.

It was smart of Mike Moore to push for a visit by the Marines.

For National, such symbolism is to celebrate the old ties. It is to be ceremonial, no ships, marking good deeds by 50,000 marines. What was there to oppose for the US?

The bigger test will be a possible Coast Guard visit.