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At 16:35 15/10/2013, michael gurstein wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi Bill and Avri,<br>
<br>
Interesting arguments based on an assumption of significant USG Internet
policy incoherence*, and of course you may have a deeper insight into the
behaviour of the USG than others but I'm seeing the following from this
quite recent policy statement from the Obama Whitehouse:<br>
<br>
MAY 2011, Prosperity, Security, and Openness in a Networked World:
INTERNATIONAL STR ATEGY FOR CYBERSPACE<br>
<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/international_strategy_for_cyberspace.pdf">
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/international_strategy_for_cyberspace.pdf</a>
</blockquote><br>
Michael,<br><br>
members of the civil society by essence are citizens and support the
interest of their country. There is a(n influenced) general agreement
that network neutrality, like free trade, is of interest for every
country. However, there are disagreements over the way to attain it. The
FCC/NTIA/Obama Whitehouse and their fellow citizens follow a consistent
strategy (statUS-quo). Under the present circumstances the NTIA strategy
is to conquer political advantages in making the US look inoculously
incoherent in the aftermath of the (convenient?) Snowden effect. This is
a masterly plaid national reaction.<br><br>
BTW, the US have been often accused of queen sacrifice strategy :-)
....<br><br>
In intelligence the question is not "what does the information
means", but "what does that mean that I have that
information". <u>Was</u> or <u>is</u> Snowden a mole? What has him
disclosed that everyone serious did not already know?<br><br>
After all, this is an international playground list watched by ... look
at
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_intelligence_agencies" eudora="autourl">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_intelligence_agencies</a><br>
Reporting to those who foot the Bali T&L bills.<br><br>
Take care.<br>
jfc<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> <br>
<b><i>Strength at Home<br>
</b> <br>
Ensuring the resilience of our networks and information systems requires
collective and concerted national action that spans the whole of
government, in collaboration with the private sector and individual
citizens.<br>
</i> <br>
The report goes on to outline the principles/strategy being promoted by
the USG including matters of governance, internal and external security,
infrastructure etc.etc.<br>
<br>
A quick read of this statement is interesting background to the
discussions we are about to have in Bali.<br>
<br>
M<br>
<br>
*A bit surprising I would have thought given the recognition at least in
the Executive Office of the long term significance of the
Internet--<i>"This worldcyberspaceis a world that we depend on
every single day…</i> Barack Obama<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net
[<a href="mailto:bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net" eudora="autourl">
mailto:bestbits-request@lists.bestbits.net</a>] <b>On Behalf Of
</b>William Drake<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 15, 2013 3:38 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> bestbits@lists.bestbits.net Bits<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [bestbits] Do we really want to shoot in Dilma's
foot?<br>
<br>
Hi<br><br>
On Oct 14, 2013, at 3:25 PM, Avri Doria
<<a href="mailto:avri@ACM.ORG">avri@ACM.ORG</a>> wrote:<br><br>
<br>
Hi,<br><br>
I think understanding this relies on your view of NTIA
intentions.<br><br>
None of us can know those, but we all guess at them based on all sorts of
evidence, theories and assorted perspectives.<br><br>
And conversations with the folks involved.<br><br>
<br>
If you tend to think that NTIA wants to hold or even increase its
influence, you assume one thing - that this had to be done against their
will or advice and that it is a slap in the face to US goals.<br><br>
If you assume that NTIA really wants to divest control in a sane and safe
manner to multistakeholder modeled governance, while seeing the Internet
remain open, you assume another.<br><br>
I assume the latter.<br><br>
I don't think it's just an assumption. But there are of course
internal debates and countervailing pressures, so this has to be done
very carefully and in a somewhat evolutionary manner, recognizing the
substantial domestic political constraints. It's not like the
administration could be relishing the prospect of a campaign on Fox News
etc. with the Tea Party screaming "Obama hands over the
Internet", much less all the real power centers that will be nervous
about a headlong dive into the unknown. So there's a lot that would
have to be done to keep this on course, and alas NTIA staff cannot even
legally respond to their email at the moment, much less engage in global
discussion.<br><br>
<br>
The NTIA is not the NSA, like most governments, outside of dictatorships,
there is no agreement in the goals of the various departments.
NSA's goals are not NTIA's goals.<br><br>
Fair to say, and worth remembering when making sweeping statements about
this or any other government (see Wolfgang's recent note on endemic
intra-ministerial fragmentation).<br><br>
<br>
I tend to believe in NTIA's commitment and support for the wider multi
stakeholder model of Internet governance. So yeah, them being
somehow "in the mix" seems about right to me.<br><br>
In other words, and to join in the prevailing marriage metaphor, I think
the US and ICANN have an open marriage.<br><br>
And one side seems increasingly inclined to understand the TOR a bit
flexibly.<br><br>
<br>
And speaking of metaphors, and of shooting people in the foot, I think we
should encourage the new directions and their initiators especially when
they are multi stakeholder in intent, taking into account that they are
new directions and still largely aspirational. I think this is the
case for Civil Society both inside of Brazil and inside of ICANN,
as well as the fragments of International Civil Society that gather in
BestBits.<br><br>
Yes.<br><br>
Best,<br><br>
Bill<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
On 14 Oct 2013, at 01:37, William Drake wrote:<br><br>
<br>
Hi <br><br>
On Oct 13, 2013, at 7:17 PM, João Carlos R. Caribé
<<a href="mailto:joao.caribe@me.com">joao.caribe@me.com</a>>
wrote:<br><br>
<br>
I really can't understand how NTIA could be behind Fadi's meeting in
Brasilia.<br><br>
Not behind, but in the mix. <br><br>
Bill<br>
<br>
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