Re: Destabilizing China's Government with Strong Crypto

[t byfield <tbyfield@panix.com>]

At 12:10 PM +0000 on 7/12/96, Deranged Mutant wrote:


> On 12 Jul 96 at 0:04, Timothy C. May wrote:
> [..]
> > And this is yet another example of the negative effects of the U.S.
> > restrictions on crypto export: where widespread crypto tools might be used
> > to destabilize repressive governments, the lack of these tools integrated
> > into common applications makes it harder for freedom-fighters in China,
> > Burma, Iran, France, etc., to use them.
>
> The US has a sad history of supporting its own 'friendly dictators'
> though.  Makes it hard to support flow of decentralizing tech to
> destabalize countries like Iraq but keep countries like El Salvador
> in the fold.

	Me too. In fact, citing "freedom fighters" to justify relaxing ITAR is
neither more nor less disingenuous than citing "international arms traders"
to justify maintaining or tightening it; and given the litany of imbecilic,
corrupt, rump, and reactionary regimes and factions the US has supported
over the past decades, it isn't exactly going to win over hearts and minds
in the agencies that have a strong hand in ITAR.

Ted