ICAAN: Obama Sells the U.S. Out Again

The White House announced rather quietly late Friday afternoon that it would essentially relinquish control of the internet.  This will occur by giving up control and oversight for ICANN.  This is an objectionable move from the perspective of any American.  In order to understand why, let’s begin with an understanding of ICANN.  Then we can evaluate what is happening, why and what the risks are to America.

What is ICANN?

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is a non-profit in California that the U.S. Government contracts with to oversee the internet.  Remember, the U.S. Military created and built the internet.  We built it.  We own it and its foundation infrastructure.  It has always been ours to control and oversee.  And, we have done so with all fairness and unfettered global access.  Currently, any changes ICANN seeks to make to the internet must be approved by the U.S. Government.  That will end with this proposed change.

ICANN is responsible for the registration of domain names.  They essentially control and regulate the global internet address book.  They decide who can and cannot register a domain name or internet site, what it can and cannot be called, what extensions may or may not be used (.com, .org, .net, .gov, etc..).  They decide who owns a domain name.  They arbitrate disputes over domain names and content on websites.  They can take down or suspend a website or domain name at will.  They decide who can and cannot publish content and what content they can publish.  They control who can or cannot sell goods or services on the internet and what they can and cannot sell.

What is Happening?

The White House has apparently arbitrarily decided to allow the contract between the U.S. Government and ICANN to expire in 2015.  In doing so, ICANN will be turned over to a yet-to-be-defined “global internet community.”  Who will now have power and influence over the internet?  China?  Russia? Persian Gulf region countries?  Is this akin to handing the internet over to the United Nations?

Why and Why Now?

Most are pointing to some alleged pressure by the international community.  While there is no documented evidence of any such pressure, those supporting this are pointing to the United States tarnishing its digital information stewardship reputation with the world as a result of the NSA spying scandal.

But one must ask hard, penetrating questions.  Why is this happening at all and why now?  Is this yet another move by Obama to weaken our position and influence on the world stage?  He has made repeated moves that clearly weaken our stature as a nation economically, militarily, politically and now..technologically.  Is this part of a much larger Obama agenda to diminish the U.S. and our stature and dominance on the globe?  Or..is this even bigger than Obama?  Is this part of the secretive Agenda 21 plan?  If you are not familiar with Agenda 21, please Google it.  Do some in-depth reading.  Make up your own mind.  For any American, Agenda 21 is very real and very frightening. 

What Are the Risks?

To begin with, national security.  Enemy countries gaining control, regulatory oversight and security access to national security interests.  Cyber-warfare is where fighting wars is going next.  Protecting military assets and systems, protecting our national electric grid and protecting our financial system could be at risk.  Just look at how Russia has created a complete internet information blackout currently in Ukraine (except of course for blatant Russian propaganda supporting rejoining the Russian Federation).  Imagine the U.S. under attack or at war and there is no internet to go to for reliable news and information.

Censorship is a major risk.  We are essentially handing over online freedom of speech to countries with a track record of not necessarily supporting it or even allowing it.  Do we really want China or Russia involved in deciding who can and cannot put content on a website or what content can or cannot be put on websites?  Do we want these countries deciding who can and cannot have a website or domain name?  Do we want these countries to have the ability to shut any website down with the flip of a switch because they don’t like what they do or say or sell on the site?

The economic risks are massive for U.S. businesses.  This can only mean it will be more difficult to register or maintain a domain name.  Multinational United Nations-Like red tape.  Any American business (or all American businesses) could be deleted at will by some “international body.”  The U.S. could be threatened in various ways by the international body that controls the internet of the future (internet economic sanctions).  ICANN could also become beholden to the big domain name registrars, like GoDaddy, who make all their money issuing and registering domain names.

What’s The Bottom Line?

This president and this administration continue to weaken the United States on the world stage.  They continue to give things away with no quid pro quo (think European missile defense as an example).  It is no wonder that in a very recent Gallup poll 54% of Americans disapprove of the job Obama is doing.  Americans are beginning to get it.  They smell a rat.  They suspect a fox in the henhouse.  Mid-term elections are only a few months away.  It is time for America to speak.  It is time to turn this train-wreck of a presidency around.  It is time to put the stop gaps in place so this administration’s last two years can do no further harm to our country.