[NA-Discuss] Foreign Policy and the Internet

[Eric Brunner-Williams]

> 
>    John Levine wrote:
>    That said, I agree with your theory about what DoC was doing.  They've
>    made it quite clear for a very long time that they're not going to use
>    access to the root to pressure other countries.
> 
> I am sure you have been around long enough to know that what people say/do 
> today has little to do with what someone else may do later. When that 
> someone gets a hold of authority in the future, access to root may well 
> become leverage.

Dr. Bruen,

I hope we're discussing the actions of government, and for the most
part, policy oversight by career civil servants employed by the NTIA,
with some policy direction by political appointees -- the Under
Secretary, even the Secretary of Commerce -- with input on this
specific question -- the timeliness of changes to the IANA root zone
for iso3166 code points -- from career civil servants employed by the
Department of State, also with some input by political appointees --
the Under Secretary, even the Secretary of State.

The contract period is 36 months, of which several have already
transpired.

I'm unable to envision an enlightened, informed administration risking
the consequences of making changes requested by governments
unreasonably conditional.

Eric