[Eli_P]

All correct. It's just important to remember who's the attacker:

  Alice -- ISP1 -- 1000 hops -- ISP2 -- Bob

Alice and Bob's identities are protected from each other, but not from the govt because ISPs collect metadata.

[fsflover]

> because ISPs collect metadata

Which metadata? ISPs only know your next hop. Check out how garlic routing works.