Yeah, it seems to me there is some tradeoff that could likely be expressed in a mathematical equation between distracting the public and therefore in theory not

Yeah, it seems to me there is some tradeoff that could likely be expressed in a mathematical equation between distracting the public and therefore in theory not jeopardizing the status quo of intelligence gathering, and the cost of a too-large distraction. Not that it would necessarily be a simple equation (what's the cost of jeopardizing the status quo of intelligence gathering? No clear way to say for certain that a specific capability would necessarily head off future calamity, with the possible exception of really clear cases, which I think must exist at times. And what's the true cost of, say, military action? There's the direct. There's the fallout (literal and figurative - benefit to weapons manufacturing, damage/benefit to trade, injured veterans, reduced/increased spending from a scared public...)). But I think I would love to see that equation. Edit: Closed parentheses.