Re: "how can you possibly defend an ePassport with a validity of 10 years"
actually, the correct (but unhelpful) answer to the phrase "how can you possibly defend an ePassport with a validity of 10 years, but a warranty of only 2 years?" is (and I'm typing this from inside an 'RFID' testing laboratory) is that there is a trend to making the documents valid for only 5 years!
The user biometrics are better when consumed fresh.
there is quite a reasonable argument that late 2007 - early 2008 is an ****extremely good time**** to acquire oneself a nice new basic biometric ten year passport, yes it is fractionally invasive in terms of privacy, its a tiny bit hackable with the simple MRZ key, the RFID/NFC might not work after 2 years - but you're currently not (yet) required to replace the ePass (don't use a microwave....) if it stops being an ePass and just becomes a Passport.
However the next generation of ePass is being designed with much better security algorithms, which are needed for the much more detailed user enrollment and advanced biometric content and possibly the 5 year validity will come into play like in Switzerland, Greece, Canada, Hungary......