The problem with this analysis is that the problem set the NSA exists to address is not limited to terrorism. Most of the work they do is spying on foreign governments in order to inform U.S. policy. Building a cost&#x2F;benefit analysis of the loss of privacy effected by NSA operations on the number of lives lost to terrorism does not provide an accurate measure of the value delivered by the national-level SIGINT enterprise.<p>With regard to the author&#x27;s general point: we should indeed be very concerned with the potential for widespread surveillance to abet the violation of civil liberties or even a totalitarian takeover.