[governance] IPv6 address allocations to DOD

[Norbert Klein]

Milton L Mueller wrote:
> Ian:
> You raise a good question but one that is bound to make certain people uncomfortable.
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> What I do have, following McTims research, is that the 
>> justification appears to be a concept called NCW (Network-
>> centric warfare). Would it not be fair, then, to allocate 
>> and reserve blocks of the same size for the military of
>> each nation state so that we have a level playing (sic) field for
>> network-centric warfare? 
>>     
>
> The best assumption I can make is that your question is rhetorical and you are trying to highlight the problems associated with the militarization of cyberspace. Or, maybe you are serious? 
>
> If the latter, why should RIRs (or anyone else outside a military apparatus) do _anything_ to facilitate network-centric warfare in any way?
>   
Though I am aware that this analogy is not easy to see (and probably
more difficult to define in practical terms), the "equal playing field"
has been the basis for all internatinal nuclear and conventional arms
control treaties - but not between all nation states, only between the
most powerful ones: in this case the USA and the Soviet Union and it
heir, Russia. It is assumed that the "equal capacity" of mutual attack
has been keeping the peace, in face of the threat of nuclear war, and on
a different level (during the "cold war" period) between the Western
European and the Eastern European conventional forces.

It took many years of difficult negotiations to define the "balance" of
powers - how to establish it, how to de-escalate to equal levels, and
how to monitor compliance.

And "non-proliferation treaties" have provided a method to
invite/include smaller states into this scheme of "arms control."

Cyber war is probably a much more sophisticated field (also with more
destructive power at the disposal of small "players") - but it is
obviously necessary for all of us to find ways how again - under the new
constellation of cyber-space - engage in mutual confidence building
(among adversaries!) in order to have a realistic hope for peace.


Norbert Klein

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