From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 01:27:25 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: The Global Fix is In
Message-ID: <v0310281cafd1ba6444d6@[207.167.93.63]>
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The "Meeting of the Eight," formerly the G7, is happening in Denver.
Listening to what's coming out of it, it's apparent that the Four Horsemen
are front and center. Clinton is speaking of a network of banking and
communications policy coordinators, to detect and halt drug dealing, money
laundering, and nuclear terrorism.

This fits with the details of reports about global wiretapping efforts,
about joint intelligence activities, and, of course, with the OECD/GAK laws
being proposed, passed, and about to be signed into law about "Key
Recovery" and "Trusted Third Parties."

The fix is in.

It probably won't be long before Stronghold is barred for export from
either Britain or RSA (the other one); both Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela
are Friends of Bill, so a few phone calls should take care of that little
problem. (And Norway and the other Scandinavian countries are part of the
global wiretap agreement, so I rather doubt free export of PGP 5.x code out
of Norway will be feasible, despite the OCR effort now underway there.)

(Not that Clinton will mention Stronghold to Blair...that's far too much
microdetail. Jimmy Carter might have gotten involved at that level, but not
Bill. Details will be left to underlings.)

The call to Japan, probably the visit by David Aaron, stopped NTT's plans
for exporting the RSA chip.

Anguilla and other "offshore" havens, will be subject to the same kinds of
pressure. Mark my words.

It's not hopeless. Physical havens are vulnerable, to all sorts of
pressures (I doubt many cryptographers want to set up shop in Libya or
Iraq, not that these places would be hospitable to Cypherpunks sorts of
goals and methods).

Going underground, using the untraceable features of cyberspace, may be the
last, best hope.

--Tim May

There's something wrong when I'm a felon under an increasing number of laws.
Only one response to the key grabbers is warranted: "Death to Tyrants!"
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
tcmay@got.net  408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Higher Power: 2^1398269     | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."