Defenders of Clipper

[area51@aol.com]

Hi everyone,
   
    I've been watching this list for a few weeks now,  and I really don't see
any real basis for defending Clipper. It seems the essential arugment of
Denning and others is, "Well, we can't tell you what we're afraid of, but
trust us, we should be afraid". Can they not tell us because they don't know?
Or is it some sort of "secret" they fear?
    
   Obviously,  widespread secure communications would make life much easier
for criminals. Yes, terrorists will be able to make their secret plans using
cryptography. But, I would hasten to point out that the Trade Center bombers
managed to pull their attack off with NO encrypted conversations that I've
heard about. And yes, next time it might be a nuclear bomb.  There, is that
the unnamed terror?  Or is it that the intelligence community is learning all
the neat-o toys they bought for SIGINT are rapidly becoming worthless, and in
reality there's absolutely nothing they can do about it. They'll have to 
strengthen their long neglected human intel-gathering side, much as some
members of their own community have been arguing for years. The real reason
Denning, the NSA, et al are arguing for Clipper is that they realize their
professions are becoming obsolete. Welcome to the ranks of the
techo-unemployed. Just as nuclear proliferation marches on slowly but surely,
so will high-tech crypto. Information wants to be free, as they say, and the
implication here is you just can't stop it. Does the government really think
they can stop everyone in the world who wishes this nation harm from using
crypto? I think not....So they better get on the ball really defending us...

        Sorry for rambling on....
                                        Rod Ramsey
                                        Area51@aol.com