breaking the prime directive

[sonak]

No orders were actually violated. No one from Starfleet warned the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion.

Um, the VERY literal "letter of the law" may not have been violated, but Sisko(of Starfleet) pretty clearly warned Garak(a Cardassian with connections) of the Klingon invasion.


How well do you think Sisko's defense of "I was having a conversation while my tailor measured me" would hold up to Starfleet Command?

 

[C.E. Evans]

No orders were actually violated. No one from Starfleet warned the Cardassians of the Klingon invasion.

Um, the VERY literal "letter of the law" may not have been violated, but Sisko(of Starfleet) pretty clearly warned Garak(a Cardassian with connections) of the Klingon invasion.


How well do you think Sisko's defense of "I was having a conversation while my tailor measured me" would hold up to Starfleet Command?

Again, no orders were actually violated. And if I recall correctly, Garak was not a member of Starfleet, just a simple tailor who measured Sisko for a new suit.

 

[MacLeod]

by the era of TOS there is only one offense whic carries the dearth penalty.

Kirk: "What is the penalty for murder?"

M Five: "Death."

Personally, I think that was more of Daystrom's ideals rather than Federation Law, since he put in it all his mentalities and what not, especially how prisons are depicted in TOS, apart from dagger of the mind.

That's my take on it as well, Daystrom believed that the peanlty for murder should be death. Many countries and most western countries have long since abolished the death peanalty aside from it possible being cruel, you can't reverse it if someone is later found innocent.

 

[CoveTom]

Kirk's reputation is just that -- a reputation. Developed over a long period of time and far more legend than reality. When we see our characters in the 24th century speak of Kirk's era, we are hearing their view of history through their 24th century eyes. It is not always factual.

From our own viewing of Kirk's exploits, we know that the Prime Directive as existed in the 23rd century was far more flexible than in the 24th century. We also know that Kirk did not break the rules nearly as many times as legend would have it. (Nor, for that matter, did he sleep with as many women as legend would have it.)

Kirk is a legendary, larger-than-life figure in Federation history. Therefore, everything about him is seen by succeeding generations as larger-than-life as well.