[nate_meurer]

This isn't what the parent was saying, but you are correct: the NSA can't break properly implemented strong encryption. They can't perform miracles; they used the same technology the rest of us use, just on a different scale.

Fifteen years ago we had proof of this after the government inadvertently showed its cards via clipper chip, the crusade against PGP, etc. We still have export controls on strong encryption, and there's a good reason for that (well, maybe not a good reason).