Does anyone seriously think the governments of any of the three countries (UK, USA, Germany) seriously weigh up benefit and risk? They make a decision and couldn't give a monkey's uncle about the social or economical cost to individuals or small companies. Any of us who remember the GA situation with the London olympics realise that 'security' over rides the citizen. I do feel sympathy for the security services who will get it in the neck if the other side ever succeed, but an objective risk:benefit assessment would never support many of the restrictions the states have imposed on their citizens this millennium. Let us just be grateful we dont live in other countries where corruption and the lack / failure of democracy means there is even less opportunity for the common man to put his so called servant to the onus of justification.