Tim May wrote:

I should've added to my last post that not only am I skeptical that citizens in France will be able to use truly strong, unbreakable crypto, but that the "encouraging news" is quite likely just the opposite.

No solution which involves key escrow or "mandatory voluntary" key recovery is "encouraging."

Tim's nailed this. Expect the US, and other Wassenaar signators, to announce similar regulations ostensibly in support of privacy and commerce that will include GAK to assure public and national security. This is House National Security Committee chair Solomon's position, the next stop for SAFE, and as TM notes, where it will be further eviscerated to fit TLA requirements. This is the public policy agenda of the McCain-Kerry Bill. This is BXA's goal in the current draft regs circulating for comment, and probably what's coming in the Wassenaar implementation, while it engenders complicity from commercial license seekers with one-by-one approvals. This is DoJ's argument in Bernstein for controlling object code while avowing total support for academic freedom and freedom to publish print in deference to the 1st Amend. It looks as though the fall crypto campaign is about to open with a rush, worldwide. Stories being fed to journalists, draft regs being dealt to collaborators, license approvals for sure bettors. Up-yours to all the rest who don't want to, in smooth-tongue Stewart Baker's phrase, "French kiss NSA/BXA."