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Comment by willvarfar | Hacker News Reader

It is most unlikely that the Demon Killer was a false flag funding exercise. Imagine the problems if a whistleblower exposed that!

It is much more likely that the Military-Industrial Complex used the opportunity to push for more powers and funding. As all Military-Industrial Complexes do all around the world at every opportunity.

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Does every traffic light or change to traffic that occurs after a fatality at long time known about dangerous intersection mean that traffic light manufacturers and traffic engineers collude to further their influence over shaping of our traffic? Or are people merely responding to issues as they impact society? You're presenting this with evil overtures. Sure the military industrial complex drains a lot of money from the budget. But they are responding to services needed by the government. The unfortunate squandering of money, spending money on unneeded equipment (that the Pentagon says they don't want or need) by Congress, or the lack of oversight on costs billed to the government, are other issues.

"imagine the PR problems if X" worked prior to snowden, but now it seems no one cares.

If we don't care that they're spying on us all, why would we care about the reason behind the spying?

Your argument is very logical and plausible, but we live in illogical and implausible times.

If no-one cares there's no need to false flag a justification, is there?

Devil's advocate: What's the harm in keeping your hands "clean"? The public zeitgeist can change, after all, and someday the public may care. Better be prepared for that, etc.

Extra cost and complication now versus potential costs in the future.

Small up-front cost now versus having your lives threatened in the future.

>It is most unlikely that [a US agency would violate the constitution by conducting mass surveillance of US citizens]. Imagine the problems if a whistleblower exposed that!

I imagine minimal problems even if it was a false flag. These surveillance systems are too attractive for governments to willingly give up, no matter how flawed the justification for their creation is.

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