Bush administration annexes internet
`An extraordinary statement by the US government has sent shockwaves around the internet world and thrown the future of the network into doubt.
In a worrying U-turn, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) has made it clear it intends to retain control of the internet’s root servers indefinitely. It was due to relinquish that control in September 2006, when its contract with overseeing body ICANN ended.
The decision – something that people have long feared may happen – will not only make large parts of the world furious but also puts ICANN in a very difficult position. [..]
But what is most disturbing about Gallagher’s presentation, is how it endlessly refers to the president. The first slide has a picture of George Bush. The second begins “Thanks to the president’s policies, America’s economy is strong”. The next slide is “The president’s broadband vision”. The next slide leads with a quote from Bush and two pictures of him. And on and on it goes. There is barely a single slide that doesn’t quote from the president.
Clearly the internet has entered the Bush administration’s vision and the resulting DoC statement – which boldly tells the rest of the world that the US will continue to run the Internet and everyone will just have to lump it – is very in keeping with how the US government is currently run.’
