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The prime directive |
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| FTLComm - Carrot River - Saturday, June 19, 2004 | ||||||
"Everything I need to know about life I learned from Star Trek". |
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If that in fact were true then let us look at the Prime Directive as issued by Star Fleet Command. |
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As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Star Fleet personnel may interfere with the healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes the introduction of superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Star Fleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation. |
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If this article is what Star Fleet uses throughout the universe as their guide with dealing with foreign species and cultures less developed than those of the planet Earth, then why is it here on planet Earth it is being ignored? We have everything from missionaries throwing a knapsack over their shoulder and heading off to Central America, or the Far East to meddle in the affairs of others - or be kidnapped and held for ransom, to TV preachers rallying the flock to head off to the Middle East to show the wayward camel jockeys, the true path of Christianity. Its not your culture and I don't recall them asking you to come and change it. |
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Give me your hearts and minds or we'll burn down your hut. |
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The Western World got involved in the affairs of Korea then not knowing to leave well enough alone, they stuck their noses into Vietnam. Both produced disastrous results that in one case have not been resolved and in another nearly tore the aggressor country in half. Well apparently those in leadership positions in America don't take to Learnin' to quick: after lying to get into one illegal war, Vietnam - they lied again to get into another illegal war, Iraq. In this instance Iraq will cost America far more than Vietnam ever did. It has cost them the lives of their soldiers, it is costing them billions of dollars and it has cost them what they need most. |
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Credibility. |
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At any time America could have backed out of Vietnam, said "my bad" and gone home. Eventually they did. That is absolutely not possible in Iraq. In a region of great conflict where grudges are held in time frames measured not in months, but Millenniums, - in a region literally dripping in oil money, as bad as it was, the Americans and British have stripped the government and power structure out of an entire country. From that you can not step back, say "Oops" and go home. It will take at the minimum, one full generation to instill in the country, leadership who can manage their affairs. Anything less, will create a vacuum that will have rival interests set upon the Iraqi people like savage dogs and rip the remains of the country apart. |
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If you do subscribe to the principles of The Prime Directive then how much of a stretch of the imagination would it be to say the United Nations is the biggest violators of the Directive? |
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"History has proven time and time again when one culture involves itself in the affairs of a less developed culture disaster can be the only result." |
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Captain Jean Luc Picard, USS Enterprise 1701-D |
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