Re: "Gentlemen do not read each other's mail"

[hallam@w3.org]

>Why is he our patron saint? He was a government official coming out
>against invasion of privacy. Isn't that what we are all after, in the
>end?

There is a considerable difference between running a government and being an 
individual. It is not merely ethical for one government to read another's mail, 
it is a duty.

By not taking adequate steps to inform itself of the Japaneese intentions the US 
suffered the loss of a substantial part of the US fleet at Pearl Harbour. Had 
sufficient resources been avaliable the naval codes could have been cracked in 
time.  The closure of the Black chamber was a key reason why US espionage 
efforts were inadequate at the start of WWII.

Given the choice between the US Army and the CIA plus NSA I would choose the 
latter any day. The millitary hardware is useless without intelligence 
operatives. Unless Perry is advocating an absolutist pacifist stance I don't see 
that his stance is credible. I don't know many pacifists who oppose intelligence 
gathering. 

Diplomatic trafic has always been considered fair game. Long may it remain so.


		Phill