From: Jonathan Rochkind <jrochkin@cs.oberlin.edu>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 94 13:06:18 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: clipper and export
Message-ID: <199407222006.QAA12198@cs.oberlin.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> > Is anyone else distrubed by the way that encryption export policy
> and the > clipper chip seem to be linked {in administration policy,
> and in the > press?
> 
> Well, we helped made this connection happen! We, in the sense of the
> overall letter-writing campaign...all those exhortations for us to
> please get the Cantwell Bill moved along, those daily updates, etc.
> EFF, CPSR, EPIC, and messages here on Cypherpunks and in other fora
> (or forums).
 
WEell, sure. And we all know that there _is_ actually a connection; liberalized
export policies will make it hard for them to impose clipper as a standard
without prohibiting other crypto. And I would assume they know this, 
and that's why {they wont' do it. And I would assume the privacy-freaks
know this too, and that's why they support liberalizing export. 
 
But my concern is that no one seems to bring up the point that this is 
really _bad_ reasons for determining national policy regarding encryption
export. The legislation that allows them to restrict export only does so on
the basis of national security. _Not_ on the basis of "it'll make it
easier to implement our domestic encryption policy". Everyone involved
with the debate extensively realizes that this _is_ the basis on
which the administration is determining export policy. But there seems
to be no outcry abou{t it. I haven't even seen it brought up in 
any media, digital or print. And this is what I see is a problem. {Not
only is {the government messing around with us here, but we seem to 
expect it so much that we dont' even bother to point it out or complain
about it. I think we should be doing that. 
 
The public debate about export restriction should center on "is it actually
a national security risk, and if it isn't, why not liberalize things?"   
Instead, there really is no debate, it's ob{vious that actual         
national security isn't even an issue in the Administration decision
to {keep encryption export restrictions tight, and no one seems to think
this is a problem! That's what I find disturbing.