The UN wants to run the Internet

Here's something so sick it's almost laughable: the UN wants to run the Internet. Oh, they won't come out and just say exactly that, but a recent interview with the ITU's Houlin Zhao made it crystal clear what the UN is after.

Quick refresher: ITU stands for the International Telecommunication Union and it's an agency of the UN. Here's Mr. Zhao:

Today the management by ICANN (is something that) people consider to be management by the United States, by one government. People definitely want to see some changes. I think everyone would agree that a better arrangement is something that we're looking for.

Bzzzzzt!! Wrong answer! Now I know the UN has had a stellar year, what with:

The Oil-for-Food Scandal that ripped off, oh, about $10 billion for Saddam and his buddies (and we all know who they were). Not to mention some untoward payments to UN head Kofi Annan's son Kojo

The Sex Scandal in which women and children in the Congo were reportedly raped by UN "Peacekeepers"

Oh, wait, I forgot about the other sex scandal in which different UN "Peacekeepers" were linked to separate sex crimes in East Timor as well as prostitution in Cambodia and Kosovo

And that's just the recent stuff that's come to light despite the UN's incessant stonewalling.

From the head down, the UN appears to be rotten with corruption and, as an added bonus, populated with predatory animals possessing no more conscience than John Wayne Gacy.

News.com's Declan McCullagh, who is usually a steller observer of the technology scene, didn't ask Mr. Zhao the key question:

What in the name of Kojo Annan would possess anyone with a lick of sense to give the UN the keys to the Internet?

Brief history lesson: the US invented the frigging Internet. It was funded by US taxpayers through DARPA and matured as an artifact of the US military. Don't like it? Invent your own damn Internet.

Sure, the UN are just the folks I want running the Internet. Hey Kofi: here's a dollar - go buy yourself a big tall glass of shut-up juice. Or, better yet, resign.

From News.com: Interview with Houlin Zhao and from ISOC: Brief History of the Internet

Update 10/2/05: Wizbang Blog