Starfleet is interpreted here as capable of hiding unwelcome information inside its bureaucracy. Earlier portrayals are contrasted with later stories in which the organisation keeps secrets much as rival powers do. In this comparison, bureaucratic obstruction supplies a less overtly violent way of suppressing information than assassination or other direct coercion. The surrounding discussion invokes Sisko's attack on human opponents as an example of the Federation's moral compromises.
Notable Point · 3:40:22-3:41:16
Starfleet secrecy through bureaucracy
A discussion of Starfleet's conduct examines bureaucracy as a means of keeping secrets and suppressing inconvenient information.