Declan McCullagh wrote:

I share part of the blame here; I forwarded Baker's message to cypherpunks.

Now, you shouldn't blame the messenger.

I should point out that Baker is an interesting fellow. Check out his article on Japan's crypto export ctrls in last Oct? Wired. He currently represents Netscape; he's one of two lawyers in DC who does.

He's an interesting fellow, all right; it can't be denied that his current position is a rather opportunistic conversion from his previous attitude. Like Bill Frantz said, it "indicates that the forces of crypto repression are in retreat." What would be *really* interesting is to know the reasons, their own explanations, for this. I mean, they can't expect that no one will notice the change. .. Blanc