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<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">On other issue of, whether US
gov can or could take unilateral steps with regard to ICANN and root
server management;<br>
<br>
It is important to know that among all countries the US has the worst
record for similar unilateral action effecting foreign lands and
nationals. US's Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) is the key operative unit in this regard. <br>
<br>
See </font><em><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/">http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/</a> for
the role of </em>OFAC<br>
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font>
<blockquote>"The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US
Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade
sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals
against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists,
international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities
related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other
threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the
United States. OFAC acts under Presidential national emergency powers,
as well as authority granted by specific legislation, to impose
controls on transactions and freeze assets under US jurisdiction. Many
of the sanctions are based on United Nations and other international
mandates, are multilateral in scope, and involve close cooperation with
allied governments. "<br>
</blockquote>
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
To take an example. if anyone tries to access the services of google
analytics from Cuba she is greeted by the following message (for the
full report see
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.webpronews.com/google-blocks-cuba-from-gaining-analytics-access-2012-06">http://www.webpronews.com/google-blocks-cuba-from-gaining-analytics-access-2012-06</a>
) <br>
<br>
</font>
<blockquote>
<p><em>We’re: unable to grant you access to Google Analytics at this
time.</em></p>
<p><em>A connection Has Been Established Between your current IP
address and acountry sanctioned by the U.S. government. For more
information, see <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/">http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/</a> .</em></p>
</blockquote>
Google Earth, Google’s Desktop Search tool and Google Code Search are
similarly blocked.<br>
<br>
It is my understanding that a simple order from the <font
face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Office of Foreign Assets Control</font>
to ICANN/ Verisign could put provision of root server services to Cuba
and its nationals ( and those of some other countries) under similar
sanctions. That is how close we are to what many think is an impossible
calamity.<br>
<br>
parminder <br>
<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><br>
</font><br>
On Friday 22 June 2012 09:51 PM, Lee W McKnight wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:77A59FC9477004489D44DE7FC6840E7B0EEFA4@SUEX10-mbx-08.ad.syr.edu"
type="cite">
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<div
style="direction: ltr; font-family: Tahoma; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 10pt;">To
clarify again - and since we are talking both administrative procedures
and worst case scenarios - I do indeed highlight the hypothetical
'firebreak' potential of the limited US control of the root zone
servers; which is of course augmented/reinforced by all the other
servers out there. Since USG/DOC/NTIA does not have administrative
control of those other servers.<br>
<br>
And of course that mattering is in the 'highly unlikely' category. As
would be the hypothetical case of - some - root zone servers engaging
in root zone file disobedience.<br>
<br>
But then, as I note in other contexts, Fukushima taught nuclear power
plant operators - and governments and the public - that whatever they
thought was the worst case scenario, things could be much worse than
that. So fair enough and it is indeed worth discussing various worst
case scenarios and how resilient the net and internet governance
mechanisms are to various - worst cases.<br>
<br>
Which is still a different matter from discussing further
internationalization/globalization is needed, which I also subscribe
to.
<br>
<br>
Lee<br>
<br>
<br>
<div
style="font-family: Times New Roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px;">
<hr tabindex="-1">
<div style="direction: ltr;" id="divRpF435683"><font size="2"
color="#000000" face="Tahoma"><b>From:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:pouzin@gmail.com">pouzin@gmail.com</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:pouzin@gmail.com">pouzin@gmail.com</a>] on behalf of Louis Pouzin (well) [<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:pouzin@well.com">pouzin@well.com</a>]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 22, 2012 12:06 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:governance@lists.igcaucus.org">governance@lists.igcaucus.org</a>; parminder<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [governance] [liberationtech] Chinese preparing for a
"Autonomous Internet" ?<br>
</font><br>
</div>
<div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 6:25 AM, parminder <span
dir="ltr">
<<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:parminder@itforchange.net"
target="_blank">parminder@itforchange.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div bgcolor="#ffffff">
<div class="im"><br>
I think we had cleared this level long back in our argument that we are
*not* any longer discussing the 'technical possibility' of the root
server operators not publishing the authoritative root zone file but
the 'socio-political' likelihood that they would in fact do such a
thing. Stephanie had spoken of this likelihood and not the 'technical
possibility', and, in this regard, expressed disagreement with David.
To quote Stephanie's email "unless its operator decides to break free;
unlike David Conrad, I regard this as highly unlikely.......... "<br>
</div>
<br>
And since you answered to this statement with an apology of possible
misunderstanding, I was confounded, because I thought you have been
saying all along that you indeed think that if the US did interfere
with the root, the root server operators, other than the one under US
gov contract, will in fact 'break free'. (Lee and others supported and
built on this argument as the principal element in the discussion about
possible misuse of US's control over the root.)
<br>
<br>
I repeat, I dont think such 'breaking free' is likely and therefore the
so called current distributed root server architecture *does not*
provide us protection against likely improper interference of the US
with the root.
<br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
parminder <br>
</font></span>
<div class="im"><br>
- - -<br>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div> </div>
<div>You are dead right, Parminder. But there are plenty of smart net
professionals who know how to twist the architecture.<br>
<br>
In case of USG interference with the ICANN root zone, predicting the
reactions of the 3 non US based root servers is rather uncertain. Their
operators may be politically sensitive and under pressure exerted by
the powers that be.<br>
<br>
However, the rumor of root poisoning would spread like bush fire across
social nets. As there are zillions of root copies in ISPs, corporate
nets, and even individual computers, it would not take long to switch
to servers feeding a previous correct version (remember Wikileaks).
Then Verisign would apologize for an unfortunate snafu in an updating
operation, and business would return to usual. A positive effect would
be a debunking of the central root myth.<br>
<br>
There could be as well negative effects on some users and institutions.
Who knows ? Then they would realize that they are living under a
Damocles sword. If they don't like it, it's up to them to consider
practical alternatives.<br>
<br>
- - -<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
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