This is asinine; some violations, such as the Chinese acquisition of systems
just under the threshold for export, and upgrading the systems to full
capability later, -may- be caught by this shift (not taking political issues
into account, everybody seems to bending over backwards for China at the
moment, a significant mistake). What will certainly -not- be caught are
computer systems that can be accessed from remote--clear such systems through
export to a friendly/neutral country, and allow non-local use over the net. I
think they don't 'get it' when it comes to how technology works. --MW
Computer export curbs 'still viable'
Copyright 1998 Nando.net
Copyright 1998 Scripps Howard
WASHINGTON (May 5, 1998 09:08 a.m. EDT http://www.nando.net) -- U.S.
controls to limit export of high-performance computers with potential
military applications remain viable despite the rapid increase in
international availability of powerful new microprocessors, a report for
the Commerce Department and the Pentagon has concluded.
The independent study, released Monday, said that while the pace of
change in computer technology necessitated further study, the controls
should remain viable through the end of the century.
The report, commissioned as part of a continuing review authorized by
President Clinton, found the current practice of approving exports on
the basis of the power of the individual computer being sold was no
longer appropriate.
The possibility of end-users combining several computer systems to
increase capacity meant the U.S. should now shift its focus to assessing
"attainable performance" of the computer systems being exported.
The study admitted the continued rapid growth in the power of computers,
many made under license outside the U.S., meant some "leakage" was
inevitable.
But Seymour Goodman, one of the report's authors, said this did not
necessarily indicate a failure of the regime but rather the changing
patterns of technology and international trade.
The report said even an imperfect regime benefited U.S. national
security interests, but criticized the government for not analyzing
properly which countries could use high-power computers productively.
By MARK SUZMAN, The Financial Times
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