About NSA assistant director Dr. Clint Brooks:

He readily admitted that the Clipper system isn't intended to catch any crooks. They'll just avoid the phones. It is just going to deny them access to the telecommunications system. They just won't be able to go into Radio Shack and buy a secure phone that comes off the line.

This is why it is _imperative_ that Cypherpunks develop secure voice communication systems, to kill Clipper market share.

Their message was direct and they didn't hesitate to compare encryption with assault rifles.

Of course, the assault weapon issue is, for the most part, a bogus attempt to grab rifles. Semi-auto long weapons do not actually show up in the crime stream with any regularity, there are millions of legally owned rifles that are never used in crime, and anti-gun groups are using people's inexperience with semi-auto weapons and crime statistics to achieve their ends. -Thomas