False Dichotomy

[Sorehl 0]

"Your question makes you guilty," Commissioner Sorehl asserted, "of assuming a false dichotomy." He straightened in his chair, addressing the Tellarite dignitary. "The withdrawal of Aegis from the Cardassian homeworld is not an attempt to 'cut and run' from our responsibility in the region. Indeed, it is the eventuality implied by established political benchmarks for a return of their autonomy.

 

He went on. "In short, the removal of Sky Harbor facility from Cardassia is a logical, measured step toward their sovereignty and a symbolic end to the taint of Federation 'occupation'. It would demonstrate the fulfillment of the Aegis mission, not its failed conclusion."

 

"So you honestly think we're done there?" the Tellarite grunted, incredulous.

 

"Allow me to clarify," Sorehl continued. "In my assessment, Aegis has completed its role as a protector; its continued presence is merely delaying Cardassia from rightfully assuming defense of their own homeworld."

 

"But your own report gives accounts which contradict your recommendation," the Ixarian delegate noted from another location at the table, "the previous commanding officer…"

 

"No doubt you refer to Admiral Goran's commentary," the Vulcan broke in. "I believe he indicated 'it is not impossible for an outside force to take advantage of the weakened state of the native military and government forces'," he quoted.

 

The delegate from Ixar set down his own display device. "This would seem to undermine your argument."

 

"Councilman," Sorehl countered, "my commission did not authorize me to ignore contradictory opinion. My task was to find facts, not seek consensus. If unanimity were a prerequisite of decision, we would be a paralyzed power indeed. I do not discount the Admiral's opinion, even if I do not share it... any longer."

 

There was a brief moment of silence. "Any longer?" came the question from the Andorian delegate.

 

The Vulcan steepled his fingers, leaning back somewhat. "It would be fair to note that the conclusions of my report were not those I began with." He paused to see if there was an immediate follow-up question. Sensing a desire for him to elaborate, he continued.

 

"The reality is," he began, "while Aegis was meant to be a shield against external threats. too often that threat has been the Federation itself." There were low-level murmurs, but he pressed on to make his point. "In the post-war years, there is no doubt Cardassia suffered turmoil – terrorist attacks, political assassinations, the kidnapping of diplomats, even martial law. Aegis was an essential stabilizing force during these crises."

 

"But the tone has changed. I have walked on their homeworld. I have met with their leaders and their citizens. The people are being fed. Industry is returning. Elections have been conducted peaceably. Freedoms have been extended. Cities have been rebuilt."

 

"In contrast to being a defensive platform, Aegis may now actually lure threats toward Cardassia Prime by offering an easily reachable Federation target. The Security Council is well familiar with the Breen incursion and the recent encounter with Species 8472. The Cardassians demonstrated an ability to defend themselves and to render assistance to Starfleet as an ally." Breaking off, he saved one of the more damning Federation incidents for closed session. This was not the placed to recount how rogue Starfleet elements had introduced the debilitating hemorrhagic fever that had swept the planet.

 

"The Cardassians have shown signs they are ready to exercise their sovereignty – a goal we claim to share. Instead, are we going to stubbornly cling to our wartime gains and reveal unstated, ulterior motives? If so, we can only expect Aegis to remain in one officer's words, a 'focus for their discontent'."

Edited July 10, 2008 by Sorehl

[Joy 0]

Subject : The Sorehl Report

From : Ambassador Joy Seven, Mudd Embassy, The Presidio

To : Ambassador Gem Rhee, Haven Embassy, The Presidio

Security : Eyes Only. Hardcopy only. Hand carry only. Do not reproduce by electronic means.

 

 

Gem

 

I believe Commissioner Sorehl's recommendation should be followed. In sessions to date he has not fully emphasized the hostility of elements of the Federation towards Cardassia. Deep distrust developed during the Dominion conflict. High ranking members of Starfleet, Starfleet Intelligence and 'Section 31' have acted on this hostility. I have attached classified summaries of the actions of Admirals Forester and Goram. The point Commissioner Sorehl raised that Aegis has been a threat to the peace, will continue to be seen as a threat to the peace, and may well be a continued factual threat to the peace, cannot be discounted.

 

This is not to say that there have not been high ranking personnel past and present who have not meant well. My sister Two's report on the aftermath of Admiral Forester's recent actions showed many Starfleet personnel on Aegis risked lives and careers to do what was best for Cardassia. The Cardassian government is is fully aware of this and has fully acknowledged this. Still, the recent Cardassian maneuvers preceding the 8472 skirmish were only a few steps short of using force to reclaim sovereignty. I believe we should indicate a readiness to take those last few steps without requiring further threats of force.

 

My major problem with the Sorehl report is over emphasis on the military aspect. He dealt with the Station primarily as a military battle station, not as an economic trade asset, a source of foreign aid, or a diplomatic outpost. He did not fully acknowledge the symbolic political importance as the last armed outpost of the post Dominion War occupation. He is not emphasizing other steps that might be appropriate at this time. For example, Two has begun speaking with members of the Cardassian government about the following.

 

1. The Federation might make a formal end to the occupation and acknowledge full sovereignty.

2. A formal declaration of the Cardassian borders might be made.

3. There might be an agreement that border systems shall be self determining, with

a. Right to free trade with both the Federation and Cardassia, as well as among themselves.

b. A right to choose, free of coercion, to remain independent, to form unions, or to align with either power.

4. While a full mutual defensive treaty might not be appropriate between the Federation and Cardassia, diplomatic and military channels of communications might best remain open, and information on mutual threats might well be shared.

5. Existing foreign aid packages to Cardassian might not be dropped instantly, but the management of such aid might be shifted. Led the Cardassians determine what the needs are, and let the contributing parties review whether the desired use is sufficiently constructive that the aid should be continued.

 

Two's discussions with Cardassia are of course very preliminary. While their chief executive is apt to support a package such as the above, Two expects no more spontaneous agreement in their councils than Commissioner Sorehl has encountered here.

 

In short, while the physical location of Aegis is important, with the military shift might come a basic change in the relationship between the Federation and Cardassia. At some point we must respect them and treat them fully as equals and partners. This seems to be an appropriate time. If there are those who are not ready for both the symbolic and political cutting of the strings, we might wish to force a shift in the focus of the debate. Who on Council believes continued occupation still necessary or helpful? Who does not acknowledge the presence of a healthy Cardassian government? What standard would they set before they could see the Cardassian government as healthy and stable? If some on Council do not believe the Cardassian military is strong enough to stand on its own, what standard of strength would they be satisfied with? If some on Council fear the Cardassian military might become too strong, what checks and protections would they be satisfied with?

 

This should not simply be a debate on the location of a space station. It should be a debate on the future relationship between the Federation and Cardassia. I would add that if Council's opinion of our relationship with Cardassia cannot be made compatible with Cardassia's opinion of what that relationship ought to be, then we should not be withdrawing Aegis, and thus eliminating our ability to sustain fleets deep in Cardassian space. If any Council members wish to continue a military occupation, we should force them to debate the position that Aegis should not be moved.

 

It might be appropriate to gather an Idealist caucus before Council reconvenes.

 

 

Joy

Edited July 6, 2008 by Joy

[Cptn Corizon 0]

What he was about to say would likely come as a surprise to anyone who'd known Ambassador Tyan-ji of Dameon. As one of the rotating members on the Council, he'd spent the better part of the last three years going to every little trouble spot in the galaxy doing 'investigations' of one kind or another. That had included a three month stay at Camelot Station to oversee a very not-publicly known visit of the Weyoun to the Female Shapeshifter on Earth, and again to be a signatory to the joint "Camelot Armistice" which had brought a temporary end to the conflict between the Scopriads and the Dominion. In the intervening time, he'd been mostly dealing with issues of less galatic importance than the 'Sorehl Report' which was currently on the front burner of the Council's "to-do" list.

 

That said, he'd not even asked a single question during the report... all four hours of it. He'd simply set back and listened with both of his dog-like ears to everything being said around him.

 

He achieved some modicum of amusement that few of his colleagues had any idea of his real feelings on the subject. In the general assembly, Dameons (including himself) had a propensity towards the more 'martial' side of the Federation, leaning a tad bit towards the Iron Fist in the Velvet Glove approach to dealing with Cardassia. Granted, that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who had read anything about his people, or knew that they still harbored feelings of ill will over the attempted conquest of their world during the last war. In deed, as one of his colleagues had put it, "the general feeling of the people of my world, and this delegation, is that Cardassia should not be allowed to ever rebuild in a manner that would allow them rise to threaten the peace and security that so many fought to protect..."

 

And not that he didn't agree with that sentiment. But the way that sentiment had been carried out had only increased the chance that Cardassia would emerge from Occupation (either forcefully or diplomatically) as an armed and hostile nation that would be anxious to once again prove it was a force to be reckoned with. In other words, they'd emerge, if the parallel would be allowed, as Earth's Germany from WWI. Or more aptly, exactly as they had after the end of the Bajoran Occupation.

 

That was unacceptable.

 

Thus, the Ambassador from Dameon sat quietly in his office preparing his statement to the Council. He'd not bothered to meet with anyone else on the body to run his remarks by them, he was long past politicking his way through the body, it was not as if he had any ambition to run for President of the Federation. Nor did he care if his government asked him to return home. So his remarks would be solely his own, and they would come from his heart and mind.

 

My fellow members of the Council,

 

I have sat for the past several weeks and listened to the debates on the issue of the burgeoning mission to Cardassia known as the Aegis Project. Many of you have broached the issue with thought and concern, and all of you have spoken with the veracity and eloquence I have come to expect from this body. In deed, you have offered a number of opinions and listened to the testimony of our chosen vassal, Commissioner Sorehl of Vulcan as if he were a member of this body, which I applaud.

 

To begin, I would like to thank the Commissioner for his thoughtful, diligent, through and eloquent remarks, observation and reporting. I feel he has provided us with an invaluable trove of information from which to form our opinion. And I would advise my fellow members on the council to carefully consider his report when making your own recommendations. That said, I now humbly offer my own.

 

The stated aim of the Aegis Project was, from my point of view, to create an anchor point from which the Federation and our Allies could over see the reconstruction of Cardassia. To that end, it was the unstated goal that we should bring Cardassia back into the fold of the intergalatic community as a pliant, well-manerred ally of Peace. A certainly noble goal.

 

To accomplish it, we needed to ingratiate ourselves to the Cardassian people. We needed them to understand the value of peaceful cooperation.

 

The question I have heard asked over and over these past few weeks is "has the Aegis mission failed." I think that's the wrong question to be asking. Largely we have accomplished our stated goals. Aegis served as vital anchor to Cardassia through turbulent times, helping shepherd the way to a new world. Cardassia for the first time in generations is looking towards peaceful solutions to rebuilding, instead of simply annexing the nearest planet not under the Cardassian flag. They have elected a government that is working to grow and rebuild what has been lost. They have survived tests of leadership and came through better for it, all because of the support of the Aegis Project.

 

As I said, "was the Aegis Project successful," is not the question we should be asking, but instead "what is the future of the Aegis Project." The task this council should be taking up is how do we move forward in respect to our goals of an independent, robust, strong and peaceful Cardassia. In that respect, the Aegis Project has largely failed to bring Cardassia closer to the Federation, but not by it's own doing. I will not, at length, go into those reasons -- I think them to be rather evident -- I will simply say that our policy has failed to produce a Cardassia that is what we desire. And perhaps there in lies the problem that we should be considering.

 

We have assumed that we can decide for the Cardassians how Cardassia should rule Cardassia. That said, the longer Aegis remains under the direct control of Starfleet, the longer that perception will continue. The longer it lingers the stronger the perception of us not as wise guides helping towards a strong future, but as occupiers placing our own goals and aims before theres becomes.

 

Taking that into consideration, as well as the remarks and suggestions brought forth by others, it would be my humble proposal that Aegis continue, but in a different role.

 

It is clear that, even though they are capable of defending themselves, a station with the capabilities of Aegis is needed to insure the defense of Cardassia. However, in recognition of both Cardassia's sovereignty and the strategic interests of the Allied Powers, I would advise that the station come under full purview, ownership, and operational authority of a joint-body comprised of the allies and the Cardassian people. In doing so we not only signal an end to the "occupation" but usher forth a new era of cooperation, while keeping our ability to maintain a strong presence in the sector.

 

I would also strongly recommend that we include in the agreement to transfer ownership of the station to the joint-body, an "open borders" agreement between the Allies and the Cardassians similar to the agreement between the Klingon Empire and Federation. This would allow a degree of mutual protection, while allowing Cardassia the freedom to conduct itself in a manner they so chose.

 

I believe my proposal to be a compromise between the competing ideas of a full-withdrawal of the Aegis Project and the continuance of the status quo and I would most humbly beseech my colleagues to give weight it merit when rendering an opinion. Thank you.

[Joy 0]

Subject : Dameon's 'Compromise' Proposal

From : Ambassador Joy Seven

To : Ambassador Joy Two

Priority : Immediate

Security : Confidential

Encryption : JOY0702 : A52EFG88

 

Attached is a recent speech to Council by Ambassador Tyan-ji of Dameon. It features a compromise proposal which gives Cardassia formal independence while continuing a Federation presence with Aegis near Cardassia Prime. It proposes a joint command structure, without going into too great specifics on which power names the Aegis commander, and who said individual reports to.

 

Would you have the speech reviewed by Kyth Ghemor and Captain Quark? Both should be in this loop. While on the surface the proposal is not irrational, I intuit many devils in many details.

 

Careful measurement of the size of the impact crater when Captain Quark impacts the ceiling would be appreciated.