On Tue, 23 Nov 1999, Robert Hettinga wrote:
(quoting an article in the _The Standard_ by Keith Perine)
<. . . .>
>
> For years, the U.S. government, led by FBI director Louis Freeh, has argued
> that the U.S. must keep a tight lid on the export of data-scrambling
> products that guard information transmitted via the Internet.
Well, at least as far as my recollection goes, the US position certainly
pre-dates Louis Freeh, Bill Clinton, and George Bush. Don't most of these
regulations at least go back as far as NSDD 145*, which I think was on
Reagan's watch, and there were probably other, less visible, restrictions
before that. Just a minor point in the great sweep of things, but the
current administration didn't start any of this, they're just guilty of
perpetuating it.
Some newsie should do a story that traces US crypto restrictions back to
its origins.
<. . . .>
>
> Among industry's concerns: How the regulations will define retail products
> and government entities. Direct exports to foreign governments are more
> tightly controlled than retail sales. And, even under the new regulations,
> direct sales to seven nations that the U.S. says are guilty of
> state-sponsored terrorism - including Cuba, Iraq and Syria - are forbidden
> outright.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but don't representatives of almost all
countries shop regularly in New York, Miami, L.A., etc., where they have
missions and embassies and that sort of thing? Does anyone suppose the
clerks in retail stores are even going to know about, let alone help
enforce, export rules on commercial software products? This seems pretty
stupid, or naive, at least. Maybe the stuff won't be shipped directly
there, but what's the point if you can buy it over the counter and then
send it yourself?
..............
* I think I have the number wrong on the US National Security Defense
Directive, but it was something like 1455 or 1445. It would be in Kahn's
book, probably.
