Worst command decisions by Captain James T. Kirk

[MAGolding]

I think that Kirk's decision at the end of "Space Seed" was rather cruel.

I can just barely tolerate living in a primitive, backward society like late 20th century and early 21st century USA. The idea of living in an even less advanced society is depressing, especially one centuries or millennia less advanced than I am used to, while the idea of living in a society centuries or millennia more advanced than I am used to seems wonderful.

So depriving the augments of advanced 23rd century society seems like cruel and unusual punishment to me.

And on screen Kirk only asks Khan and Marla if they want to be marooned on Ceti Alpha V. The other 72 augments were apparently not given any choice. As the saying goes, what are they, chopped liver? Aren't they persons with legal rights?

And in "Enterprise Incident" Kirk steals the Romulan cloaking device and takes it to the Enterprise for Scott to install. But Kirk doesn't wait until Scott has it properly installed and is sure it will work before transporting Spock to the Enterprise and starting the escape. That seems reckless.

 

[DonIago]

If we assume that Khan was speaking honestly when he said that his followers had sworn to live and die at his command, then asking his followers would be unnecessary. That said, it could have been made more explicitly clear that Khan had the authority to speak for them. It's a shame there wasn't at least one sympathetic augment, but I guess that would have gone against the story they were trying to tell.

In regards to choosing to live in a primitive society though...it was their choice, so I don't see how we would ourselves feel about it is especially relevant. I think Khan was, if anything, looking forward to conquering a world, as it were.

 

[Henoch]

And in "Enterprise Incident" Kirk steals the Romulan cloaking device and takes it to the Enterprise for Scott to install. But Kirk doesn't wait until Scott has it properly installed and is sure it will work before transporting Spock to the Enterprise and starting the escape. That seems reckless.

I think the backup plan was to run away at Warp 9 thinking he was faster than the Romulan's acquired Klingon ships. When the D7 started rapidly overtaking the Enterprise, Kirk didn't seem surprised, only concerned. Apparently, the Federation was aware of the D7's superior speed and fire power over the Enterprise; I guess he was hoping that the Klingons held back some capabilities, so, his backup plan was also another bad decision.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I think Khan was, if anything, looking forward to conquering a world, as it were.

The only unfortunate part (for Khan, anyway) was that there were no people to conquer. Unless his group started infighting...

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Standing Voyager in the Delta Quadrant in the first place.

This thread is about Captain Kirk, not Janeway.

 

[Crazyewok]

This thread is about Captain Kirk, not Janeway.

Opps wrong thread!

 

[Steven P Bastien]

Hey, politicians blame the past office holders, why shouldn't the captains?

 

[johnnybear]

Khan and his followers weren't really citizens of a country, world or Empire but in reality they were war criminals! So if he had of taken them back to the Federation they would have been re-educated or even put on trial to answer for their crimes against the whole of humanity centuries before!
JB

 

[Spot261]

Khan and his followers weren't really citizens of a country, world or Empire but in reality they were war criminals! So if he had of taken them back to the Federation they would have been re-educated or even put on trial to answer for their crimes against the whole of humanity centuries before!
JB

I'm not sure the term "war criminals" requires that people not be citizens of somewhere.

It does, however, require that the perpetrators be combatants or military or civilian leaders, which it is clear does in fact apply to Khan and co. and the Eugenics wars were very much fought between nations.

If we assume their birth countries no longer exist int he 23rd century then they would simply be citizens of Earth.

 

[johnnybear]

Yes but Khan's people were a vast selection of different races! so did he enlist all registered supermen or were they already living in his principality?
JB