From: jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com>
Date: Fri, 24 May 1996 15:35:46 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: [SCARE]:  "If you only knew what we know..."
Message-ID: <199605240352.UAA01260@mail.pacifier.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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At 08:06 PM 5/23/96 GMT, John Young wrote:

> 
>"Before the case is resolved, Patel's skepticism of the state's perogatives
>will be tested to the limit when the government is called upon to defend
>its policy. Patel is then likely to be given the *in camera* presentation
>of The Deepest Darkest Secrets of Cryptography -- probably a modified
>version of the classifed briefing the NSA has used with great success to
>influence members of Congress. Legend has it that no one who ever got 'the
>briefing' ever again opposed the agency." 
>Peter, anyone, are these welcome-to-the-inner-circle briefings always by
>NDA, or worse threat? 

It seems to me that if the government REALLY thought it could push GAK by 
convincing the public that it was wise, it would at least prepare a redacted 
version of this briefing that it _could_ present to the public,  if 
different than the "eyes only" version.  After all, would they risk losing 
it all by NOT telling at least part of the story?  Or is their failure to 
publicize all this because they realize that spilling the beans (even only 
some of them) would actually make it _less_ likely that GAK would be 
accepted by the public, rather than more?  I think the latter is much closer 
to the truth.


>Wonder if a public-spirited cryptographer is working on a book for a movie
>about this heart of the deepest darkness? 

That depends on what you mean.  I know a free-lance movie scriptwriter who 
is working on a story along related lines.

Jim Bell
jimbell@pacifier.com