If you thought that 2005 would end quietly in the i-Technology world, think again: it's going to end with a rumpus, a furore, an unprecedented worldwide commotion. Because the Secretary of the US Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley have just written in a joint Letter to Airmen that the USAF is to start "dominating" cyberspace.

Prepare for all hell to break loose. It shouldn't take more than about five minutes. Five hours at the most.

 "The Air Force is a natural leader in the cyber world and we thought it would be best to recognize that talent," notes Secretary Wynne, as he presided over the release of a brand new mission statement defining the "where and what" the Air Force accomplishes on a daily basis as follows:

The mission of the United States Air Force is to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests -- to fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace.  

 In Air Forcespeak, the term cyberspace apparently embraces network security, data transmission and the sharing of information: "We have quite a few of our Airmen dedicated to cyberspace ... from security awareness, making sure the networks can't be penetrated, as well as figuring out countermeasures," Secretary Wynne said.

"Adversaries of the United States will use any method or venue necessary to contest America, and it is an Airman's calling to dominate air, space and cyberspace," he and General Moselely declare in their letter.

It ranks as the most extraordinarily unfortunate public U.S. pronouncement since Al Gore "invented" the Internet - which frankly I for one thought would never be surpassed.

Hold onto you hat, this could get very nasty indeed.