This is mostly a restatement of https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48552687

This is a frustrating article - it provides no new information at all to support the claim that it was "never about a jailbreak".

I suspect there's more to the story than has been reported too, but I'd like information to help turn those suspicions into something more concrete.

I feel like this headline is a bit over-stated. There is not a ton of evidence it was about a jailbreak, and neither was there evidence that is was about retribution.

This is an opinion piece.

TechCrunch articles should be ignored into oblivion.

I think this is pretty low quality content for HN.

Should be pointed out this is an opinion article

So the article calls it "knowledge gaps". Has technical expertise ever mattered when the law wants to ban or restrict something it doesn't like? The DMCA comes to mind.

Look at how the Trump administration treats Canada, it's the same thing. They lie and make up reasons to punish countries that hurts their feelings.