India, Dec. 21 -- This writer is old enough that his view of Australia and Australians was only reinforced by the laconic, tough-as-nails Crocodile Dundee. Instead it was formed much earlier from a photo of Australian troops (at least what was left of them) in formation after stopping the Imperial Japanese Army on the Kokoda Track in New Guinea in 1942. And Australians fought like tigers in Korea and Vietnam and have been along with America in subsequent fights. The professionalism and grit of Australian troops today is unquestioned.

But there's something different about Australia and the US-Australia relationship, that even the recent love fest in Washington between the two nations' defense and foreign ministers can quite paper over. Re...