Star Fleet Marines

[JonA]

Just an extra thought.

I was watching Waltz (Deep Space Nine, Season 6), the one where Sisko and Dukat are stranded on a planet and the Defiant is sent to look for them.

The Defiant was working on a limited timescale as it had to rendez-vous with a Federation Troop Convoy containing 20,000 troops en-route to the frontline from the Badlands.

I think this would settle any argument about whether or not there is any troops in the Federation given that they are referred to clearly in the script of an episode (can't get more cannonical than that).

Just a thought.

[Typhonis 1]

Thn why did they never show us the troops???I mean how hard would it have been to do Federation Marines? Yes they talked about them but never showed them onscreen .

[JonA]

I'd say because it wasn't essential to the plot of the episode to show them. The episode was about Dukat, Sisko and the search for them.

I still reckon the mention of 20,000 Federation troops in a convoy en route to the frontline in the script of an episode confirms that the Federation has a standing army (be it marines, standard grunts or Special Ops).

Althought, as a side thought me and some other friends reckon that any Federation army could be made up of reservists and volunteers from member worlds and that the Federation DOESN'T have a standing army per se but has contingency within the Starfleet/Federation Charter for any situation that might require one ie: in time of peace there is no army - just starfleet but in time of War the Federation council can require all Federation members to provide manpower for any armed ground force if required.

Again this is all just a thought.

Peace

[Eight Trigrams]

Althought, as a side thought me and some other friends reckon that any Federation army could be made up of reservists and volunteers from member worlds and that the Federation DOESN'T have a standing army per se but has contingency within the Starfleet/Federation Charter for any situation that might require one ie: in time of peace there is no army - just starfleet but in time of War the Federation council can require all Federation members to provide manpower for any armed ground force if required.

I wholeheartedly agree with Jon's position. I don't like the idea of a Federation-sponsored marine force more than anyone else, but I also don't like the idea of a Federation-sponsored KGB. Too bad we're stuck with that Section 31 crap, and I'm sure Gene is still rolling over in his grave over it.

Starfleet "marines" are necessary when retaking a planet or busting up a fortified ground (or even orbital) installation. While I agree with Aldaron's view that space forces are by FAR the primary consideration in any 24th-century military engagement, there are still plenty of hidden strongholds and underground lairs that can exist for a clever defender on any planet, no matter how accurate or smart your lasers or torpedoes are, or how sensitive your sensors (Look at the success of the Bajoran Resistance, for example. Even with 24th century tech AND marines on the ground the Kardies fell for old Viet Cong/French Resistance tactics, though it took 50 years or whatever). And since Starfleet seems to (bit of an assumption here) take a dim view of all-out orbital bombardment and planetary razings, an occupying force is a necessity. Granted it doesn't have to be very large number, relatively speaking, but even Aldaron's number of 10,000 Jemhadar is unapproachable by Starfleet if you're only using the shipboard security contigents on a fleet of Federation vessels.

I have to add that, so far, this has been the most thought-provoking and interesting debate I've found on this forum. Keep truckin'.