Comments by "yessum15" (@yessum15) on "The Critical Drinker" channel.

@icemachine79 I mean that's definitely their rhetoric. I agree that Starfleet isn't explicitly a military. But I think it's undeniable that they are empowered by Federation legal structure to fulfill a number of military functions. In that context, I don't think the analogy is out of line.
1
@icemachine79 I think the line about warp signatures was to indicate that the suspect is currently still on Earth, not to indicate that he didn't originate interplanetarily. The very fact that they're discussing warp signatures suggests that they already understand the scale of operations is likely interplanetary.
1
@icemachine79 In other words, I think it isn't a stretch to think that Federation legal structure would allow for them to engage in this particular military function, given that it grants them the latitude for a number of other far more explicitly military functions. Aside from that, on a practical level it seems likely that the Federation would take advantage of their resources. For example, the investigation of counterfeiting is the primary responsibility of the Secret Service. But if the FBI is better equipped in a particular instance, the responsibility can be shifted. The enforcement of prison rules is the responsibility of the Department of Corrections. But if the military is better equipped to address a particular case, they can take over (with Presidential approval). It doesn't seem ridiculous that the combination of legal allowance and practical convenience would result in Starfleet taking point on this.
1
@icemachine79 I think that if the declaration of martial law results in Starfleet operating as law enforcement this is an almost explicit admission that Starfleet is a military organization.
1
@icemachine79 Identification of 'John Harrison' as a Starfleet employee might strengthen the case for Starfleet taking point since now it may be a matter of Starfleet internal security. In the same way that if there's a turncoat in the FBI, the FBI investigates. It also strengthens the likelihood that 'John' has access to interplanetary resources, since working with Starfleet would have given him the perfect opportunity to establish that network.
1
@icemachine79 The relationship of member planets legal system to Starfleet may differ from the relationship of Earth to Starfleet. Also, if a member planet's legal system violates the Federation's system, Fedration law can trump local law (eg: if they detained Federation citizens). Starfleet would be called on to execute this. So there is an allowance for Starfleet to engage in law enforcement activities on member planet jurisdictions in extreme instances. Saying that Starfleet's mission is primarily exploration and diplomacy implies that there are other objectives as well (as opposed to 'exclusively'). Also, it is obvious that Starfleet's diplomatic strategy has a heavy military component to it.
1