[Bear_Slayer]

The american tax payer paid for it so we can do what we want with it.

I agree with you fundamentally; US taxpayers funded the development of internet technologies. However, the Internet, as it is known today, has little to do with taxpayer money.

Obviously, most systems, networks, routers, &etc are privately owned and can be controlled by whoever owns them. For those that are owned by US taxpayers, then the taxpayer should retain control.

[jpsb]

China, or anyone for that matter, can build there own "net" with there own equipment. However if you want to be part of the Internet you must have a valid IPAddress, you just can't makeup your own IPAddress. Since the "net" is an American invention control of IPAddresses is in the hands of the Americans. As it should be.