US retains control of internet

The Register publishes Condoleeza Rice's bullying letter

The text of Condoleeza Rice and Gutierrez's letter to Jack Straw (while he was acting president of the EU) is apparently written in unusually strong language for a diplomatic missive. It's published in full on The Register along with a brief commentary.

Why should you care? ICANN is the body that decides the fundamental structure of the internet. It's been controversial /within/ the USA because it reduced the role of non-commercial representatives (e.g. Karl Auerbach
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/policy/2002/12/05/karl.html
)

One of the immediately public aspects of it's role is the assignment of address spaces ( i.e. how many IP numbers a person or organisation can get in a block) and the resolution of arguments over domain names (ICANN control this because they run the servers that translate domain names into IP addresses). As things stand these aspects are completely in the hands of US commercial interests.

Given the strength of importance that Rice/Gutierrez express on this issue it's a strong hint for the EU and China that they perceive commercial advantage in retaining control.

The implications for spying on foreign commerce (which the US has been caught (in co-operation with the UK) practicing against EU interests in their Echelon program are probably not escaping anyone either.