[Cerestine]

Yeah Dark, I was thinking the same thing. Its especially strange given how the major factions in TOS loosely mirror real life cold war factions such as the NATO, Soviet Union and China.

In my personal opinion and I welcome debate on this:
-The Federation being the Western Bloc or the UN
-Starfleet being NATO
-The Klingons being the Soviet Union
-The Romulans being the Chinese

I agree with Chase on the Federation being the Western Bloc, the Klingons being the Soviet Union, The Romulans being the Chinese. UN on the other hand doesn't seem to fit any where. Since the UN included the Soviet Union and Chinese as members. It would have to be a 3-way alliance which, if I remember correctly, didn't happen. Since I missed a lot of the seasons in STO, I may be wrong. But from the TV series point of view... well it was always touch and go.

[Dark]

Since the UN included the Soviet Union and Chinese as members. It would have to be a 3-way alliance which, if I remember correctly, didn't happen.

Klingons, Romulans, and Federation united against the Dominion?

[Three of Seven]

But then who are the Cardassians!

I never really drew similarities to the politics of the day, even if it might have been written in, I just always watched it for what it was. I'm sure that comparing each of the factions in the Trek universe is a whole other topic to this one

[Chase]

But then who are the Cardassians!

I never really saw a Cold War comparison for the Cardassians but I did see similarities with 1930/40s Nazi Germany with their oppression of the Bajorian people. Similar to the Nazi oppression of the Jews. I am curious if anyone agrees or disagrees with that comparison.

[Dark]

I suspect the different factions are used when convenient to depict particular things, not a constant mapping.

[Chase]

I suspect the different factions are used when convenient to depict particular things, not a constant mapping.

Dark I completely agree with that. One of the things I love about Star Trek is the sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant connections to current real life events or politics while set in a futuristic society. I also don't think that any one faction stays completely constant throughout all the series; their goals, ideals, methods all evolve and adapt to the current state of the universe. Much like real life countries have done throughout history.

[aceman67]

There's no doubt: Starfleet is a military organization at its core.

It has an organizational structure identical to a Modern Navy, its command staff (Admiralty) answer directly to the Federation Executive (President).

Its members are required to follow lawful orders from their superiors, even if that order is fatal (TNG SE7EP16 Thine Own Self). The only civilian/non-military example I can think of where that would happen is in Nuclear Power plants to prevent meltdowns or on commercial merchant/fishing/shipping vessels to save the ship.

All Starfleet personnel are trained and are expected to be at the very least proficient with small arms and basic self-defense, regardless of their career track, best evidenced by Hoshi Sato being highly proficient with the EM Pistol (ENT SE1EP14 Sleeping Dogs), despite being a communications officer. Another example is Crusher kicking the crap out of Dr Jo'Bril in TNG SE6EP22 Suspicions

During the 2009 Star Trek reboot film, Pike tells Kirk that Starfleet is a Peacekeeping Humanitarian armada. There are only two organizations that I know of that perform a Peacekeeping duty: Police and Military. But the kind of peacekeeping that Starfleet provides (keeping two rival factions from going to war) is one handled by militaries, with the notable exception that Starfleet officers are trained and authorized to negotiate and use diplomatic means on behalf of the federation.

Starfleet's mandate is to Protect and Serve the Federation, through military defense, advancement of Federation knowledge about the galaxy and its inhabitants, advancement of Federation science and technology, and practice/implementation of Federation diplomacy.

Just because they're explorers, diplomats and scientists, doesn't mean they aren't a military organization. They are just one that will use every means at their disposal to promote peace, and force is a last resort.