[endofunky]

Yet it didn't require a travel ban to get similar capabilities implemented for the NSA, GCHQ et al.

[ben_w]

The UK and the USA need to be more subtle to sneak past the limits of what is democratically acceptable. A military dictatorship, not so much.

[intricatedetail]

Military dictatorship just cannot afford the media and all the theatre of democracy. If people have 1-3 parties to choose from, they'll vote for one of them, without thinking it's the same thing just different label.