First things first

In general, I'm all about cultural exchange, opening one's eyes to the world, considering other ways of life, examining others' value systems etc. to take what's best and improve our overall lot in life. But changing the governance of the web to make it fall under some kind of U.N. controlled committee is simply RETARDED. Remember Oil for Food? Well now, get ready for another monumental disaster. The management of internet infrastructure, if anyone can be responsible for managing it, is something (that falls under the "governance" category maybe) that the American government, at least in its incarnation as Department of Commerce, has not been too shabby at. I say IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT: listen to your own engineers you European technocrat power sluts. Do they want this? Who would this really help? Even people (from the world over) who are extremely critical of ICANN do not want more international bureaucracy to hinder what is primarily a technical enterprise. This is a sure path down the road from bad to worse.

Here's a quote:

"The internet has been a remarkably reliable and stable network of networks and it has grown at a rate unprecedented in human history," he said. "What we are looking for is a continued evolution of the internet that is technically driven. We do not think the creation of new or use of existing multilateral institutions in the governance of essentially technical institutions is a way to promote technological change."

Here's another quote:

'Michael Gallagher, President Bush's internet adviser and head of the national telecommunications and information administration, believes they are seizing on the only "central" part of the system in an effort to exert control. "They are looking for a handle, thinking that the DNS is the meaning of life. But the meaning of life lies within their own borders and the policies that they create there."'

Actually, for a moment, let's forget the main thrust of the argument and clarify that DNS is NOT the meaning of life. You could argue that DNA might be, in some sense, but not DNS. Ah yes, but this is Bush's internet adviser...