Picard's Worst Command Decisions

[Coalition]

I'm curious why people think Picard caused people to suffer by his actions in INS. If the UFP never received the possible benefits of the peculiar radiation, they would have been no worse than where they had been previously. If, for example, someone told me that there was a cure for diabetes, but I couldn't have it because it involved murdering someone, then that person wouldn't have caused me any additional suffering.

How many Baku are there? Set up a nature preserve around them, like the holographic base, and let them stay in their little preserve for all eternity, while the rest of the planet is colonized and set up as a medicinal reserve.

Heck, a Ferengi would have rented access to the place as a Heath Spa, where you come there and feel years younger. This is because you are years younger. Of course, part of the fees include paying for the defenses, so nobody tries to grab the planet. Payment for the mercenaries would be lower, but they would get full health benefits.

[Nickswitz]

How many Baku are there? Set up a nature preserve around them, like the holographic base, and let them stay in their little preserve for all eternity, while the rest of the planet is colonized and set up as a medicinal reserve.

Heck, a Ferengi would have rented access to the place as a Heath Spa, where you come there and feel years younger. This is because you are years younger. Of course, part of the fees include paying for the defenses, so nobody tries to grab the planet. Payment for the mercenaries would be lower, but they would get full health benefits.

Wow, that is a much better plan than what they were doing, I think that would have solved every problem that everyone had with that scenario...

[Mikey]

Well said, Coalition. Unfortunately, we were discussing what occurred in the movie... and your plan - while far more logical - wasn't in the movie.

[SomosFuga]

How many Baku are there? Set up a nature preserve around them, like the holographic base, and let them stay in their little preserve for all eternity, while the rest of the planet is colonized and set up as a medicinal reserve.

Heck, a Ferengi would have rented access to the place as a Heath Spa, where you come there and feel years younger. This is because you are years younger. Of course, part of the fees include paying for the defenses, so nobody tries to grab the planet. Payment for the mercenaries would be lower, but they would get full health benefits.

Wow, that is a much better plan than what they were doing, I think that would have solved every problem that everyone had with that scenario...

Didn't they had to destroy the planet (render it uninhabitable) in order to harvest the inmortality juice.

[Mikey]

Yes. Coalition was talking about actually using the vast open areas of the planet to house medical facilities, rather than harvesting the stuff.

[McAvoy]

Makes more sense and more 'Starfleet-like'.

I never liked how many Admirals in Star Trek ended up being corrupt or of quesionable morality.

[SomosFuga]

got it.
yes that would be a much more inteligent call, you can make it a tourist attraction, the ultimate spa.

[Graham Kennedy]

Rather brings up the question of Federation colonisation policy, though. They don't seem to colonise planets that already have intelligent life living on them. WHich is somewhat understandable.

[Atekimogus]

Rather brings up the question of Federation colonisation policy, though. They don't seem to colonise planets that already have intelligent life living on them. WHich is somewhat understandable.

At least as long as those life-forms are "protected" by the prime directive. After that (or if the prime directive doesn't apply because of some laywers tricks) it is once again law of the jungle, might before right etc....

[Mikey]

No, GK said "colonize." I don't think the UFP would colonize a world populated by another civilization, even if they are at Fed tech level (and thus not covered under the PD.) In the specific case of INS, however, I still think it would be a better solution than the ones shown in the movie.

[Graham Kennedy]

Rather brings up the question of Federation colonisation policy, though. They don't seem to colonise planets that already have intelligent life living on them. WHich is somewhat understandable.

At least as long as those life-forms are "protected" by the prime directive. After that (or if the prime directive doesn't apply because of some laywers tricks) it is once again law of the jungle, might before right etc....

No, not even then. For instance the one they discovered in "First Contact" - the episode not the movie. Warp capable, and thus only protected somewhat by the Prime Directive. Yet somehow I can hardly imagine the Federation establishing a colony on their planet either without their knowledge or against their wishes, can you?

[Sionnach Glic]

I agree. I can't see the UFP trying something like that, even if it was perfectly legal.

[Atekimogus]

No, GK said "colonize." I don't think the UFP would colonize a world populated by another civilization, even if they are at Fed tech level (and thus not covered under the PD.) In the specific case of INS, however, I still think it would be a better solution than the ones shown in the movie.

Well at least it was Dougherty's defense for removing the Baku. They don't fall under the prime directive, so they are fair game, at least if there are bigger stakes involved.

I don't like it very much yet at no point in the movie did I have the feeling that Dougherty did something illegal or shady. Clearly he had the go ahead from the council and even if they were "tricked" into this action there is only so much suger-coating you can aplly to a forcefull removal of a few hundred people and I do hope the politicians "of the future" are more inlightened and less stupid than contemporary..persons.

Well no matter how you look at it INS is just bad, the only redeeming feature beeing the musical score imho.

[Graham Kennedy]

This is the thing I find really odd about the movie. Dougherty acts as if the Baku being post warp means that the Federation can do anything it likes to them. But there's ample evidence that this isn't so. Post warp societies may not be entitled to the same "total hands off" protection as pre-warpers, but there are limits. We've heard the PD invoked with regard to the Klingon Empire more than once, for Pete's sake!

I for one find the idea that it's perfectly legal for the Federation to move in on a planet, conduct kidnappings of the entire population, and then basically obliterate their planet... that's just an insane point of view. It's the kind of thing you might expect from the Romulans or the bad old days of the Klingon Empire.

[Mikey]

You're right, GK. The film itself makes it clear that it isn't legal for the UFP to do so. Picard uses the threat of exposure as a club against Dougherty, which strongly implies that the admiral knew that his actions wouldn't be accepted by the UFP at large.