The Dominion War...why no WMDs

[Gotham Central]

One of the more interesting things about the Dominion War was the fact that despite the desperate nature that the Federation Alliance found itself, they never deployed WMDs. (though the Changeling disease was clearly a bio weapon).

One wonders if the Klingons or Romulans ever tried to pressure the Federation into using some of its more potent weapons.

For Instance, the soliton wave, developed as an alternative form of transportation, would devastate a planet if it ever made contact with one.

Sorans Solar Probes could destroy an entire solar system (it should be noted that the Dominion actually tried to do this to the Bajoran System)

The Genesis device...The Klingons, always viewed Genesis as a weapon...and lets face it, it makes a pretty good weapon. Its detonation could devastate a solar system...and then build a new one including a new star.

BTW...one wonders what Federation scientists did with the original Doomsday Machine? At the very least, we can be sure that Section 31 hauled that thing off to some secret lab and studied it.

 

[6079SmithW]

Because the peace loving and socially enlightened Federation does not use WMDs. Ever. Their principles come first. Oh, I'm sure some people in starfleet suggested it but they were probably immediately shot down as being un-evolved savages for even suggesting it.

 

[Kelthaz]

Dramatic license. I'd imagine a real life interstellar war would just involve the two sides pounding each other with mass drivers.

If you're looking for an in-universe answer, I have no idea. It would have been nice to see the Federation "24th century nuke" some star systems to destroy entire fleets or wipe out industrial complexes.

 

[Mr Silver]

Depends on what you consider a WMD...

Photon Torpedos and Phasers with the right yield and level of power backing them can be very destructive. The Federation wouldn't use genocidal weapons as a matter of principle, whereas the Dominion seemed more interested in conquering rather than destroying.

 

[The Wormhole]

Because if they went the route of WMDs then we wouldn't have Teh Epic Space Battles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111oneoneoneoneone

 

[sonak]

as others have written, it's dramatic necessity. Interstellar wars fought from a distance with automated destructive weapons and without fleets and armies engaging each other would not be very interesting to the viewer in most cases.

(the lack of "realism"(in a sci-fi context) is one of the reasons why I think that Star Trek works better when it's not trying to be a war show.

 

[RyuRoots]

Same reason any other space conflicts in sci-fi that don't use them don't. It's not visually exciting by comparison.

Though if you really want an in-universe reason, I could see 24th century WMDs being outlawed by whatever conventions or treaties are active at the time. As for the Dominion...well, there isn't a good in-universe reason, I guess. But it's a license I don't have problem with.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I would consider a starship a WMD by itself--the original Enterprise was said to be able to blast half a continent from orbit. Of course there are weapons that could potentially destroy entire planets, if not stars, but such weapons may be so powerful that they are easily detected by sensors and just as easily intercepted. Their effectiveness may only be good against someone without the means to intercept them, IMO.

 

[The Librarian]

Because if they unleash their WMDs, then the other side will as well, and then third parties will, and soon all life in the quadrant will be bombed out of existence.

 

[Xerxes1979]

The Dominion should of been using them left and right as a means of genocide.

If the founders are the galaxy's greatest xenophobes then I don't see why they take any risks at all regarding subject races. Its not like they need anything beyond the perfect slaves of the Vorta and Jem'hedar.

Did any founder ever seem to enjoy their role as monarch? Did they enjoy touring the realm and giving speeches? The female changeling was just a bitter anti-cardassian shrew and the the rest of them sat in a pile of goo all day.

Was the concept a politcal union with the Dominion just a lie to get a foothold in the alpha quadrant?

Even if Cardassia had not joined willingly, their territory seemed capable of enabling a more than adaquate military force buidup to eventually take one of the big three out. If you believe that military convoys from the wormhole acted as the tripwire for the war that mistake could have easily been avoided.

 

[Sandoval]

No one could find any...

 

[SilentP]

Because if they unleash their WMDs, then the other side will as well, and then third parties will, and soon all life in the quadrant will be bombed out of existence.

Aye, there's only so many planets that are inhabitable in the galaxy. If you start throwing WMDs around all willy nilly, there's nothing left.

 

[Sandoval]

Aye, there's only so many planets that are inhabitable in the galaxy. If you start throwing WMDs around all willy nilly, there's nothing left.

Although a shortage of habitable planets has never been a problem in the Star Trek universe. Quite the opposite in fact.

Some big-bad race the means to obliterate their enemy's homeworld and deal them a crushing blow that could likely lead to their defeat, but deciding not to do so because 'there are only so many inhabitable planets in the galaxy' seems unlikely at best.

 

[erastus25]

Because if they unleash their WMDs, then the other side will as well, and then third parties will, and soon all life in the quadrant will be bombed out of existence.

Which, one would imagine, the Founders would have been okay with... Maybe the Dominion's allies were so opposed, though, because of this reason, the founders relented.

And we do see some WMD in the final Eddington episode.

And the entire quadrant should probably be glad Janeway wasn't around. For some reason I imagine her going out of her way to blow EVERYTHING to bits with some WMDs, consequences be damned...

 

[Sandoval]

And the entire quadrant should probably be glad Janeway wasn't around. For some reason I imagine her going out of her way to blow EVERYTHING to bits with some WMDs, consequences be damned...

Yawn. More tiresome Janeway bashing...

 

[erastus25]

And the entire quadrant should probably be glad Janeway wasn't around. For some reason I imagine her going out of her way to blow EVERYTHING to bits with some WMDs, consequences be damned...

Yawn. More tiresome Janeway bashing...

To be fair, I did have a point above that, this was just a kicker! I try to avoid COMPLETELY superfluous Janeway bashing!