[txxxxd]

Yes, that would be the easier route to take for a large company with pockets as deep as Google's.

I think this move is smarter than that though. Google has a knack for picking fights that not only help their own immediate cause (landing this govt. deal) but also aim for the greater good (fighting corruption, ensuring the better technology wins.)

Whether it's genuine or just a show is impossible to tell, but if you don't have a vested interest in either side then you can't help but root for Google.