>The kind of cryptography that lets people communicate securely?
I don't know of any other kinds of cryptography...
>Belongs on the same list as physical objects that intended to pierce walls and flesh?
War has a lot less to do with shooting people and a lot more to do with information than you seem to appreciate.
The public algorithms are public and there is no need or usefulness in export restrictions now on things known worldwide (and the usefulness of such restrictions was gone for a considerable time before they were lifted).
This seems a bit harsh, perhaps. Bletchley park was still in the minds of many people. It would have been conventional wisdom to keep this stuff away from "bad guys". Recall, gps was spoofed at this stage as well for civilian purposes. The other issue--although perhaps unsaid--is that ultimately this may have hastened tactics to make HW unsecure, and to collect undisclosed/zero day expoits in widespread SW and other things that could compromise a comms system that was perceived to be secure.
I don't know of any other kinds of cryptography...
>Belongs on the same list as physical objects that intended to pierce walls and flesh?
War has a lot less to do with shooting people and a lot more to do with information than you seem to appreciate.
The public algorithms are public and there is no need or usefulness in export restrictions now on things known worldwide (and the usefulness of such restrictions was gone for a considerable time before they were lifted).