Iraq TLD In Legal Limbo

tcd004 writes "FP Magazine is reporting that despite the fact that Iraq has been a sovereign nation for some 15 months its top-level Internet domain, .iq, has been in a legal limbo. Until now, ICANN has refused to hand over control of the TLD due to the nation's instability." From the article: "But one Baghdad political insider says that the imbroglio is likely to end 'imminently'--possibly by the time this magazine hits newsstands--with ICANN handing over .iq to the new government. It's unclear why ICANN may reverse its earlier decision, whether it be from mounting political pressure or a different position on the legitimacy of the new Iraqi regime. The organization refused repeated requests for comment. But officials affiliated with the Iraqi government indicate they expect the domain's return soon."

Comments

Instabillity My ass

[scenestar]

ICANN is using Iraq's political mess as an excuse.

We all know they just want to sell the tld to the highest bidder so it could be used by organizations such as mensa.

Kind of Significant

[Comatose51]

It's kind of cool that they're asking for the domain back as a sovereign part of their nation. It's kind of weird in the sense that a name space is just some abstract string of data. On the other hand, certain combinations of characters in the domain is given the same or similar status or importance as a piece of land. How times have changed... and it will only become more so over time.

Re:sovereign?

[oberondarksoul]

You misunderstand the term 'sovereign'. Quoth Wikipedia:

"Sovereignty is the exclusive right to exercise supreme authority over a geographic region, group of people or oneself. Sovereignty over a nation is generally vested in a government or other political agency, though there are cases where it is held by an individual. A monarch who rules a sovereign country can also be referred to as the sovereign of that country."

So there you go.