In response to Wikileaks alleged documents mentioning “U.S. concerns to threats of vital Internet cables landing to the Netherlands”. The Amsterdam Internet Exchange states the following:
Due to the multiple routes and connections that make up the Internet, none of the sites mentioned if targeted would have a severe impact to Internet Networks. The Internet is a network of networks designed and developed specifically not to rely on a single connection.
Mentioned cables landing from the US in the Netherlands carry voice, data and Internet communication. Should any dis-rupture to these cables occur, US networks may suffer delays and some corporate sites may be temporarily unavailable. Due to the multiple connections to other European hubs, due to the many possible routes over hundreds if not thousands of cables, European networks would not be severely impacted and US Internet traffic would be rerouted.
Job Witteman, CEO of Amsterdam Internet Exchange “ As part of the Internet, AMS-IX itself is redundantly distributed and present through multiple secured locations. Neither the failure of one single connection, nor the failure of one single piece of equipment can cause it to be a single point of failure (SPOF). Major Internet applications originating in the States are already widely distributed online through out Europe, like Search engines and E-commerce sites”
RTL-Z Dutch Interview : http://www.rtl.nl/%28/actueel/rtlnieuws/binnenland/%29/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/2010/12_december/06/binnenland/haven-rotterdam-van-belang-voor-vs.xml