[null and void]

Apple, with the full might of the federal government and all that implies: IRS audits, OSHA inspections, EPA fines, Labor relations board grievances, unfavorable court decisions, federal procurement black listing, etc., etc. etc., was supposed to go along with the program.

Who wouldn't? Go up against the Federal Leviathan? That's crazy talk!

Apple did it anyway. That boxed both them and the FBI into a corner.

The FBI was first to figure out how to get out of that corner by blandly claiming nvrmnd, we cracked it widout you.

[Ransomed]

Dude I think we must be talking past each other or I am just not getting it, which isn’t all that unusual. Sorry.

Why not just say it was broken by this private company in the first place? Why did they take it up with Apple in public court, who had every commercial motive to justify not complying?

Freegards