Kirk's Worst Command Decisions

[Captain Seafort]

Got another one - ignoring the warning buoy in "Spectre of the Gun".

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Thanks, Seafort.

Okay, list stands at:

Not raising the shields in WoK

Exploring the Murasaki 312 Quasar instead of delivering medical supplies to Makus III.

Stranding Khan in the first place at Ceti Alpha V

His actions at Iotia.

Arming the natives of Tyree's planet to 'maintain the balance of power'.

Taking over the Enterprise during TMP instead of leaving the more-familiar Decker in charge.

ignoring the warning buoy in "Spectre of the Gun".

[Mikey]

Kirk's banishment of Khan had nothing to do with any allegations of war crimes, nor was Kirk a military tribunal.

So we're down to the more immediate charges - piracy and incitement to mutiny.

I can't help but believe that Kirk's decision was based more on revenge then proper punitive sentencing, but there it is. I guess the wicket is this: was Kirk out of bounds in applying the sentence that he did? In other words, was banishment to the planet a charted response to the crime? I daresay it wasn't considered the haphazard and ultimately incorrect planetological assessment that revealed itself in TWoK. Would you have considered Bligh to be within his rights to banish Christian and co. to a desert island?

[Granitehewer]

if it were improper wouldn't khan have been relocated later?

[Captain Seafort]

I can't help but believe that Kirk's decision was based more on revenge then proper punitive sentencing, but there it is. I guess the wicket is this: was Kirk out of bounds in applying the sentence that he did? In other words, was banishment to the planet a charted response to the crime? I daresay it wasn't considered the haphazard and ultimately incorrect planetological assessment that revealed itself in TWoK.

Kirk was probably stretching his authority is marooning Khan, but the distinct impression given was that Ceti Alpha V was the more lenient option than taking him back to Earth. Khan certainly seemed pretty pleased with it, and even in TWoK his complaint was that Kirk never came back to check on them, not that he was angry about the location to start with.

Moreover, I see the goalposts have now shifted from whether or not Kirk had the right to try Khan to the details of the sentence.

Would you have considered Bligh to be within his rights to banish Christian and co. to a desert island?

I'd have considered it excessively lenient, but within his rights.

[Deepcrush]

if it were improper wouldn't khan have been relocated later?

I'd have considered it excessively lenient, but within his rights.

That or the firing squad, bayonet or being thrown overboard. I'll take the Island.

[Captain Seafort]

That or the firing squad, bayonet or being thrown overboard. I'll take the Island.

None of the above - Bridgeport hemp would have been quite sufficient.

[Mikey]

The goalposts haven't changed - the authority to try Khan and the right to sentence him are inextricably bound. The relative leniency of the sentence is immaterial.

[stitch626]

The planet Khan was marooned on was fine initially, it was only after the destruction of another planet in the system (IIRC) that caused the desert like conditions.

So its more like being marooned on a tropical island with plenty of resources, but no way out.

[Granitehewer]

Mikey's point is salient

[Mark]

I think it was a bad decision because it was so leanient (spelling?). You have a VERY dangerous criminal. You strand him and his number of "super" followers on a planet with no supervision whatsoever. Guess what? You've just lost complete control of what goes on there. Assume for a moment that Ceti Alpha VI DIDN'T explode and Ceti Alpha V continued to be a viable world. How long do you think it would have been before Khan and his people contrived some OTHER mischief to cook up? All it takes is ONE freighter, pirate, or independant explorer. Apparently, there was no record either.......because when Relient went into the system, nobody got any kind of warning from the ships computer saying "Beware! Dangerous criminals are present in the system!" or anything.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

All right, no new suggestions. Unless someone has something new, I'll be sending the list in Thursday night to the Kennedy's. Keep on discussing, though.

[Mark]

I also can't believe that Checkov never even metioned to Terell, "By the vay Keptin, de Ceti Alpha system, dis is vere de Enterprise madooned Khan and dos supermen."

[thelordharry]

All those space pies he ate between season 1 and 2 to make him gain so much weight...

[Granitehewer]

:-0 scotty ate dyson spheres!