[bestbits] Do we really want to shoot in Dilma's foot?

[michael gurstein]

Hi Bill and Avri,

 

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:

 

MAY 2011, Prosperity, Security, and Openness in a Networked World:
INTERNATIONAL STR ATEGY FOR CYBERSPACE

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/international_strat
egy_for_cyberspace.pdf

 

Strength at Home

 

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.

 

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.

 

A quick read of this statement is interesting background to the discussions
we are about to have in Bali.

 

M

 

*A bit surprising I would have thought given the recognition at least in the
Executive Office of the long term significance of the Internet--"This
world—cyberspace—is a world that we depend on every single day
 Barack Obama

 

 

From: bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net
[mailto:bestbits-request at lists.bestbits.net] On Behalf Of William Drake
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 3:38 AM
To: bestbits at lists.bestbits.net Bits
Subject: Re: [bestbits] Do we really want to shoot in Dilma's foot?

 

Hi

On Oct 14, 2013, at 3:25 PM, Avri Doria <avri at ACM.ORG> wrote:




Hi,

I think understanding this relies on your view of NTIA intentions.

None of us can know those, but we all guess at them based on all sorts of
evidence, theories and assorted perspectives.


And conversations with the folks involved.




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.

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.

I assume the latter.


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.




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.


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).




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.

In other words, and to join in the prevailing marriage metaphor, I think the
US and ICANN have an open marriage.


And one side seems increasingly inclined to understand the TOR a bit
flexibly.




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.


Yes.

Best,

Bill







On 14 Oct 2013, at 01:37, William Drake wrote:




Hi 

On Oct 13, 2013, at 7:17 PM, João Carlos R. Caribé <joao.caribe at me.com>
wrote:




I really can't understand how NTIA could be behind Fadi's meeting in
Brasilia.


Not behind, but in the mix.  

Bill

 

 

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