in some ways I can't blame Google for doing business
Truly Google wants to "make a buck" and their CUSTOMER (China) wants something specific. Can you blame them for wanting to do business?
Ethical questions regarding business choices aside, SOME businesses are ostracized and criticized and even SUED for sticking to THEIR "morality" (at least in the USA).
So which is it for Google - do the 'Dragonfly' for their customer, because they're NOT putting morality in front of business? Or do NOT do the 'special' search engine, thus "discriminating" against them?
Rock meet hard place. Damned [whether you do or do not].