A Monroe Doctrine for the Internet

InklingBooks writes "An article in Foreign Affairs suggests that in a tersely worded statement the United States has issued a 'Monroe Doctrine' for the Internet. The Monroe Doctrine was a unilateral declaration by the U.S. that it would not permit European powers to establish new colonies in the Western Hemisphere." From the article: "Everyone understands that the Internet is crucial for the functioning of modern economies, societies, and even governments, and everyone has an interest in seeing that it is secure and reliable. But at the same time, many governments are bothered that such a vital resource exists outside their control and, even worse, that it is under the thumb of an already dominant United States. Washington's answer to these concerns -- the Commerce Department's four terse paragraphs, released at the end of June, announcing that the United States plans to retain control of the Internet indefinitely -- was intended as a sort of Monroe Doctrine for our times. It was received abroad with just the anger one would expect, setting the stage for further controversy."

Comments

Not everything

[scheme]

We invented, we govern it. Simple. If they want to create their own version and write the bridges, they can go ahead, but it was our tax dollars (DARPA) that developed it in the first place.

Well, I guess we can just wish the web goodbye since it was created by people at CERN (Center for European Nuclear Research). I think other bits and portions of the net were created by others as well so your argument doesn't fly.

Re:a new internet

[Catbeller]

" Um, I'm Canadian, actually, but nice try." Difference being? I'd love to live in Canada, but come on, tell us when we're wrong!
World currencies are ascendent, while the US dollar is plunging. The Chinese decoupled from the dollar months ago. We've begun our final approach to Depression Airport.
"alarmist rhetoric" We've killed 100,000 innocent people, imprisoned and tortured thousands more, sometimes to death, and maimed thousands of the same innocent. The water in Baghdad, when running, contains fecal matter. The administration and Italy under Berlusconni are implicated in fabricating the documents used to justify invading a non-hostile country and destroying it. The entire planet wants us to go away and die, and lose a few pounds while we're at it. BTW, even Afghanistan wasn't at war with us; we killed them to feel better. The real perpetrators walked away, and are still at large and laughing at us...
The US killed 33 times the number of innocents killed on 9/11, has already invaded Syria and is attempting to use crappy documents to overturn their government (while we're using their torturers!). We've had special forces in Iran for over a year marking bomb targets. We've not moved because we don't have the manpower; too much cake, not enough mouth. This week documents popped up showing the administrations post-Castro Cuba planning, which involves supporting "freedom fighters" we're to pay for, and a lovely plan on cutting up their economy to benefit ourselves. Invade and Liberate! We're going to have a party and get cheap Cuban hookers! Yeah! Frag! America Fuck Yeah!