On Sat, 10 Mar 2001 12:41:18 -0800, Bill Stewart wrote:

Why would they use a cryptosystem that was easily broken, (other than GSM mobile phones, of course), rather than a decently strong cryptosystem where the main problem is theft of keys from the relevant users?

possible answers: 1) because, for a variety of reason, they like "made here" stuff AND/OR they had money to absolutely spend. Grand projects like that are good for rallying the troops and inducing all sort of state-desired emotions. Rule Umpteen of govt: why buy off-the-shelf when you can spend twenty times to get to copies of custom-made inferior product? 2) because they *know* that everything else is operationnally broken (yeah, right! )