I suggested on the last Section 31 thread that there are essentially two different Section 31, the
offical Section 31, which was formed as the 'deniable operations' section within Earth Starfleet, and later transferred over to Starfleet Intelligence after the UFP was formed. This is the version of 31 that appeared in
ENT,
Beyond, and Discovery/'The Georgiou Show' and is similar to CIA Special Activities Division (and potentially DEVGRU/Delta) who's missions include:
As the action arm of the CIA's Directorate of Operations, SAD/SOG conducts direct action missions such as raids, ambushes, sabotage, targeted killings[11][12][13] and unconventional warfare (e.g., training and leading guerrilla and military units of other countries in combat). SAD/SOG also conducts special reconnaissance that can be either military or intelligence driven and is carried out by Paramilitary Officers (also called Paramilitary Operatives or Paramilitary Operations Officers) when in "non-permissive environments". Paramilitary Operations Officers are also fully trained case officers (i.e., "spy handlers") and as such conduct clandestine human intelligence (HUMINT) operations throughout the world.[14]
The political action group within SAD conducts the deniable psychological operations, also known as black propaganda, as well as "covert influence" to effect political change in other countries as part of United States foreign policy.[1] Covert intervention in foreign elections is the most significant form of SAD's political action. This involves financial support for favored candidates, media guidance, technical support for public relations, get-out-the-vote or political organizing efforts, legal expertise, advertising campaigns, assistance with poll-watching, and other means of direct action. Policy decisions are influenced by agents, such as subverted officials of the country, to make decisions in their official capacity that are in the furtherance of US policy aims. In addition, mechanisms for forming and developing opinions involve the covert use of propaganda.[15]
On the other hand, the version of Section 31 that we mostly if not excusively saw in
DS9 was a small cadre was a small cadre of
rogue agents, led by Sloane, possibly triggered by the assassination of Vice Admiral Fujisaki, who fooled certain Starfleet officers (Ross, Bashir) into following their agenda for the 'greater good'.
