I think the thing that our government lacks - just about more than anything else - is technological competence. We have some of the greatest white-hat hackers in the world here in the U.S., but the government seems to be technologically illiterate.
When individuals become angry with one another, an injury of some sort will likely occur. When governments become angry, entire civilisations are wiped out.
I am just a thorn in everybody's side.
I am not in any way a conspiracy theorist and have no time for such nonsense.
As the economy goes south, petty theft begins. And then grand theft. And then muggings.
Really, what the government is asking Apple to do is to make every individual who uses an iPhone susceptible to hacking by bad people, foreign governments, and anyone who wants.