Cease Fire (Episode Guide)

Interestingly, Trip asks T'Pol if there was any evidence that a military base was under development. T'Pol responds, "How much evidence would you need if the Klingons decided to set up a colony on Pluto." This implies that hard evidence is not necessary in order for military action—a question that sharply divides not only America but the international community in the current push for war in Iraq. Some believe that the historical record of Hussein in using WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) on his own people and resistance of U.N. resolutions establishes a pattern that puts the burden of proof on Baghdad rather than Washington. Just as the Vulcans took preemptive action against the Andorians, so the U.S. plans to take preemptive action against Iraq.

This brings forth the appearance that the Bush administration is a group of war mongers who are seeking out conflict. This leads us through the episode to the point at which Tarah (Suzie Plakson), along with some fellow Andorians, goes against Shran (Jeffrey Combs). When confronted at the end, she says that they are fighting for what is theirs. There is no negotiation. She seeks a war with the Vulcans. (T'Pol asks Shran, "Has it occurred to you that there may be Andorians who want a war with Vulcan?") It seems that in very much the same way Bush wants a war with Iraq. Regardless of where you each individual person stands on the issue, Bush and his advisors clearly believe they are fighting for what is rightfully theirs—namely the right to live in peace in a world not threatened by terrorists or WMD.

In the end, however, we see something that we are not likely to see in the current Iraqi conflict, but which we have seen on many occasions in the Kashmir dispute: negotiations and compromise. Aboard the Enterprise Shran and Soval agree to a cease fire and to further negotiations on Andoria. Many times over the years India and Pakistan have backed down and compromised after either the United States or the United Nations stepped in to mediate. That is exactly what Archer, and in turn the Federation, did here. If Star Trek holds true to reality, we will again see this Andorian-Vulcan conflict erupt in a future episode—either

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