The United States needs a prime directive

[Dis]

or does it? I say yes. If you don't watch Star Trek, you don't know what this is. Yes, this is another star trek geek thread.

I'll make it a poll.

That means no meddling in the affairs of other countries and propping up dictators who are anti-communist.

[JohnT]

[Maquiladora]

Theyd do exactly what they do in every episode of Star Trek and ignore it if they "need" to.

[Japher]

That means no meddling in the affairs of other countries and propping up dictators who are anti-communist

STs Prime Directive is stupid... The US' prime directive is more atune to that of the Borg.

[Brent]

I suppose we shouldn't make contact with primitive cultures either? I think it is okay in diplomacy to do some of the things the Prime Directive forbids. I certainly think it's okay to influence other cultures as long as it's not done covertly. I'm not completely sure whether we ought to do nationbuilding or not.

[Dr Strangelove]

Yeah, I thoiught that the Prime Directive had more to do with avoiding contamination of less developed peoples. Are you saying that we shouldn't be selling Twinkees in Africa?

[Dis]

and yes, I just got done watching a ST episode.

In this episode, one planet is supplying the other with a narcotic drug that supposedly alleviates the plague symptoms, when in reality just calms down their withdrawal symptoms. The recieving planet doesn't know it's a narcotic drug. Eventually the Enterprise figures out it's a narcotic drug, but they don't interfere with one planet exploiting the other. (though it all works out in the end, because the receiving planet had no working ships to do the drug shipments presumably forcing them to go cold turkey off the drug).

It doesn't necessarily mean you can't contact primitive cultures (as that's unavoidable in many circumstnaces), it just means you don't interfere with their day to day operations.

[Brent]

I guess we should only interfere with nations that have space programs.

[Wycoff]

I'd say yes, but I'd use different terminology. I'm all for less involvement in the internal affairs of other states. Unfortunately, this position has been smeared with the label "isolationism," and heaped with scorn from both the left and the neo-con right.

[Kuciwalker]

Diss needs a life.

[Maquiladora]

Perhaps he needs a prime directive. Have full sex with a woman, at least once a year.

[Zkribbler]

Well, up until the Bush Administration, the Treaty of Westphalia, which had been around since the 30-Years War, meant you couldn't invade another nation because you disagreed with its internal politics. (Well, yeah sure, the U.S. had our Latin America exception, but that doesn't count.) We could go back to that.

[Drake Tungsten]

Well, up until the Bush Administration, the Treaty of Westphalia, which had been around since the 30-Years War, meant you couldn't invade another nation because you disagreed with its internal politics.

Yeah, that rule was never broken until the Iraq war...

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Dissident
and yes, I just got done watching a ST episode.

In this episode, one planet is supplying the other with a narcotic drug that supposedly alleviates the plague symptoms, when in reality just calms down their withdrawal symptoms. The recieving planet doesn't know it's a narcotic drug. Eventually the Enterprise figures out it's a narcotic drug, but they don't interfere with one planet exploiting the other. (though it all works out in the end, because the receiving planet had no working ships to do the drug shipments presumably forcing them to go cold turkey off the drug).

It doesn't necessarily mean you can't contact primitive cultures (as that's unavoidable in many circumstnaces), it just means you don't interfere with their day to day operations.

No, the Prime Directive forbids introducing advanced technology to less advanced cultures, because they might not know how to use it as wisely like the Federation.

[JohnT]

Bravo, Tass!