The Federation was trying to interfere in the foreign policy and military choices the colonies were making in regards to the Cardassians. That is interfering in their self-determination.
The colonies didn't have any self-determination for the Federation to interfere with. They were first a possession of the Federation, then later a possession of the Cardassian Union
Eddington's argument distracts from the fact that he is ethically absolutely in the correct. We're right now in the middle of a conflict where a hostile force is invading people's homeland and they are fighting back thanks to the resources being given them from the outside. This sort of situation has happened throughout history and the Maquis are pretty much no different than the Free French fighting against the Nazis.
Sisko's disgust with Eddington is the fact that he's chosen to side with the Maquis over Starfleet but the fact is that Starfleet is bending over backwards to preserve a truce with a race that is explictly BASED on the Nazis. Sisko shouts, "They need a negotiated peace!"
However, his argument falls apart with the fact that they HAD a negotiated peace.
And the Cardssians broke it.
How did the Cardassians break the peace? I thought that was the USS Sutherland (which Picard managed to smooth over) and later the Maquis?
The Cardassians had a negotiated peace with Bajor.
And the Cardassians broke it.
When and how was that?
I mean the problem with Sisko's anger at Eddington is that he's right next to a terrorist freedom fighter named Kira who had a long and lengthy struggle against the same government using asymetrical warfare. Would he be every bit as disgusted if Bashir or O'Brian had left Starfleet to join the fight to liberate Bajor?
Probably I think.
Probably more so: he took it very personally, so if the betrayal was by someone closer to him, he probably would have felt the resulting anger more fully.
The Enterprise does appear and I have proof. John Eaves posted pics on Facebook awhile ago of Picard's "you broke your little ships" models which were made for First Contact and added to for the subsequent movies
and season 3 of Star Trek: Picard.
It features the Strange New Worlds NCC-1701, and even the V.S.S. Enterprise.
Link. Who knew golden model ships would give it away? (John Eaves must have realised because the original FB post was deleted)
I thought that was Eaves' personal collection. there are at least two of the Enterprise-A, plus the Eaglemoss versions.
I'd argue that's the confusing part. Nechayev and Sisko state they're still Federation citizens and subject to their laws.
...NECHEYEV: I'm aware of that, Commander. We never should've allowed those colonists to remain on the Cardassian side of the Demilitarised zone.
...
NECHEYEV: You do that. And Commander, I want you to find the Maquis. Talk to them. Remind them that they're citizens of the Federation. That it is imperative that we preserve the treaty with the Cardassians.
SISKO: A treaty the Cardassians may not be honouring.
NECHEYEV: Are you questioning Federation policy, Commander?
SISKO: All I know is that the situation in the Demilitarised zone is deteriorating rapidly.
NECHEYEV: Personally, I think you're overstating the problem. Establish a dialogue with the Maquis. They're still Federation citizens. I'm sure they'll listen to reason. Good luck, Commander.
I think she's saying that they're "racially" Federation citizens (of whatever species or skin colour), and as such are "superior" to other species such as Cardassians, Ferengi, or Klingons.
So how does conalizing a planet work?
If fed citizens go to planet X to form a colony, does it automatically become a federation planet? Protectorate status maybe? If a private group goes out without say Federation colony movers help, are they still citizens?
At what point does it become its own planet with its own government with rule over the solar system? Say like territorial waters?
My limited understanding the real-world process is that they would be overseas possessions of the state the colonists came from until they secede from that state
The lands of north America were variously English, French and Spanish until they (at various points nd methods) became what is now the United States.
Were the border colonys independent but settled by citizens? .
Federation sold them out probably without even asking this planets opinion.. There rightfully pissed
Also. If the Admiral is saying there still citizens, then they have an obligation to Protect said citizens from harm. Not just tell them to behave.
I think good real world analogies might be Guam for the US or the Falkland Islands for the UK. While largely self-governing on a day-to-day basis, they are overseas possessions of the respective countries. The US might secede possession of Guam to Australia in the peace process after a hypothetical conflict between the two; the circumstances would decide what, if any, say the population of Guam might have in the matter.
A lot of this story does remind me a European attitudes splitting up the middle-east in the wake of WWI; including Nechayez's assumption of racial superiority. I don't know how deliberate this was on the part of the writers, or whether it was mimicing prevaliing US values at the time.
dJE
