We appreciate the effort. Your country has also shown up on the U.S. restricted country list, so is not in the profile country pick list.

Balkans
Burma (Myanmar)
Cuba
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
Liberia
Libya (sanctions being removed)
North Korea
Sudan
Syria
Zimbabwe

The specific sanctions posed on these countries can be reviewed at the Office of Foreign Assets Control; OFAC Country Sanctions Programs at the following url: http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs

The data files are encrypted, and that has a lot to do with it. Since Darfur is in the news, things are not settling down yet.

This issue has been discussed before some time ago in relation to Cuba.

Piankhy, you do not make it clear whether you are actually resident IN Sudan, or a proud ex pat. This would be interesting, and pleasing if you were there, because it is evidence that embargoed countries are not actually blocked technically from the secure access that WCG needs. I have been to Sudan as an engineer, and I know that Windows (an American product which falls under the American embargoed countries rules - ie not for sale/licensable) is extensively used by Sudanese government and oil industry. It, and other American products and technologies are indirectly supplied by other countries. BUT (and someone tell me if I am wrong), all internet security certificates are controlled by the US, originating from 7 US root servers. Is it therefore not possible for the US authorities to insist that IP addresses from embargoed countries are not granted a secure encrypted internet connection? If this IS possible and they DON'T do it, then shh...

I know that WCG, being based in the US has to obey US law (you are welcome to come to Europe ), but it is a shame that ordinary good people who give time to crunching are not allowed recognition of their country of birth. Why not change the wording to something like Country of Origin? This would not be an admission of actually being IN an embargoed country, and would therefore not break US law.

Thanks to Didactylos for clarification about security authorities in general - interesting and reassuring.

Looking at WCG's certificate this is from "Entrust.net" which IS US based. So I am still not clear that we actually have any crunchers in US embargoed countries such as Sudan. Perhaps piankhy can tell us?

Come on IBM, stick that neck out! My UK company has a very American parent company, and we have worked in and sold products to both Iranian and Sudanese oil/gas industries. Obviously, for some reason, the US embargo does not apply here, and only applies to make the ordinary people of these countries suffer. Usual US hipocrisy here.

So, IBM, use a non US CA such as THAWTE then.

Or Contry of Origin!!

If only everyone should think like this, there would be a lot less problems! Happy crunching to you as well!

Dear Sir / Madam commentors.....i'm sorry, but if the original software is made in the US or has technologies in it that origin in the US and fall under any of these various export restriction acts of the USA, not even a third party buyer may pass this on knowingly or conceivable suspecting, or as its called carrying a "red flag", not confirmed to eventually be green, it may not be brought in or made available to these restricted countries or its citizens......other than that, as i've been reading also about more US legislative madness, 1030 e.g........

IBM can get around by applying for an exemption, but probably only for those OS platforms that not also suffer from restrictions. That said, it's known, that e.g. oil company reps have had exemptions, the key being: You better get One, Up Front!

Didactylos.....its all about source!!!!!! Further, if IBM, say France (as the French anyway give a darn about US law) would entertain this, and any of its employees would come to the US, they are in harms way! Humanitarian my A...s. Look how the "developed" international community deals with whats happening in Dafur

My advise is, refrain from saying anything suggesting an il-legal by-pass! You could find yourself in harms way with uncle U-SAM!


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This post has been edited for inappropriate language - nelsoc