I just found your editorial, "U.S. out of the Running in Net Race," [Feb. 20] and wanted you to know how much it was enjoyed and appreciated.
Two points to underline your remarks [about the need to strengthen the United States Internet infrastructure]:
A ranking general (three star) told me he saw two U.S. tanks in Iraq sitting 50 feet apart—one Army, one Marine Corps—unable to talk with each other. He said he found that to be "unbelievable but true."
On Sept. 11, 2001, while a police helicopter was frantically radioing that the South Tower was falling down, groups of New York firefighters were still being sent up the stairs of the North Tower—because they could not talk with police, let alone FBI or other groups on the scene.
Further reading
Five years later, and nothing has changed! This was amply shown during Hurricane Katrina. It is exactly as [you cited military and other officials saying]—a matter of life and death.
I just got back from an IPv6 conference in Korea—what a different tone and what a positive attitude about new products and services for the country, now running at 80 percent broadband. Both Japan and Korea intend IPv6 to be a major factor in enabling interaction of an entire community.
Christopher R. Harz
Vice President
IPV6 Summit
Research Assistant
