Signs of Evil and Empire

Depa: I think you underestimate the military industrial complex of the Galactic Empire. Consider that she had over half of the DSII constructed in less than a year.

Well, that was during a time of relative peace. For all of the Rebellion's victories, the only thing that (we know) they managed to destroy is the Death Star and dozens of small TIE fighters and the like.

But between ROTS and ANH, the Empire needed to build up an entire fleet (or perhaps the fleet was being built as far back as AOTC!). Also, the Empire needed to take over planets - either through force or through diplomatic means.

Good point about Leia lying. Alderaan probably did have weapons. I find it hard to believe that a planet is so peaceful that it would have no need for a police force or a planetary security force.

Depa Billaba

 

Hunting Rebels with a Death Star is like trying to kill terrorists with Nukes. Also destroying Alderaan because of the possiblity that it may contain Rebellious subjects is like destroying Bagdat with Nukes. Alderaan of course had weapons but not enough to be any threat to the Empire.

If the Empire had sent its sector fleet at Alderaan and launched a planetary invasion to capture these criminals, it would stil be an evil act but not the same as destroying it. Alderaan was located in the Core Systems and was very close to Kuat and Coruscant, therefore a sector fleet could have reached there before the Death Star.

 

Hunting Rebels with a Death Star is like trying to kill terrorists with Nukes.

Even if many key figures in the Rebellion can be found on a single planet? You have to admit that it's easier to kill all the Rebels on Yavin at the end of ANH by destroying the planet than by sending a fleet of star destroyers which would have to find out where exactly the Rebels were hiding on the planet and then make sure that nobody escaped their bombing raid.

Also, where did you get the idea that the Empire was using the Death Star to "hunt" the Rebels - as in searching for the Rebels.

Also destroying Alderaan because of the possiblity that it may contain Rebellious subjects is like destroying Bagdat with Nukes.

Not if the Empire considered the entire planet a supporter of the Rebellion.

Don't forget that we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki even though they didn't pose any real threat to us.


Alderaan of course had weapons but not enough to be any threat to the Empire.

We don't know that. We only have Leia's word that Alderaan didn't have weapons, which, as GAJ already pointed out, considering how many times Leia had already lied to the Empire, isn't very trustworthy.

If the Empire had sent its sector fleet at Alderaan and launched a planetary invasion to capture these criminals, it would stil be an evil act but not the same as destroying it. Alderaan was located in the Core Systems and was very close to Kuat and Coruscant, therefore a sector fleet could have reached there before the Death Star.

Except that it would have been more costly; the Empire might not have found all the Rebels; etc.

Depa Billaba

 

Even if many key figures in the Rebellion can be found on a single planet? You have to admit that it's easier to kill all the Rebels on Yavin at the end of ANH by destroying the planet than by sending a fleet of star destroyers which would have to find out where exactly the Rebels were hiding on the planet and then make sure that nobody escaped their bombing raid.

Someone escaping from a planetary bombardment of 24 ImpStars? You have to be joking, ISDs are specifically built for orbital bombardment its what they do the best. Plus, one Death Star can't effectively blockade a planet, while a Sector Fleet can easily do the job. Add an interdictor to it and there is no escape for the Rebels. By that way they could have even captured key Rebel figures alive.

It doesn't mean that since the US bombed Hirosima and Nagasaki that destroying Alderaan is not evil. What US did at Japan was plain evil. Alderaan's destruction is no different.

 

Stay on topic.

 

I got this from ANH about the Empire and the Death Star. In that whole speech Tarkin gives about the senate being dissolved or something. Then someone talks about how will the Empire mantain control.
Tarkin says Fear will keep all the systems inline Fear of this battle station. So what I got was this, any system that gets out of line while the Empire is running the galaxy they'll threaten to blow your planet up if you don't follow the Impeiral rules. That seem pretty evil to me.

 

The fact that Palpatine did not remove Tarkin from command after the destruction of Alderaan proves that the Emperor supported his actions. How can anyone justify the destruction of an entine peaceful planet?

 

There was. There were many capable Imperial offices on the Death Star. Including Motti and Tagge) What the Emperor should have done was to appoint them as the commander and order Tarkin back to Coruscant to conduct an investigation about the matter. It is a long way from Alderaan to Yavin 4.

 

How can the Emperor not know what had happaned at Alderaan? Although we did not see it, Tarkin must have informed the Emperor about his plan. No matter how much power he wields, Tarkin is not independednt from the Emperor and it is impossible for him to blow up a planet of such significance that is not even under his control.

Plus, I have no doubt that the Imperial Security Bureu had many spies on board the DS that report either to Armand Isard or directly to the Emperor. With a weapon of such magnitude, imagine the number of HoloNet transmissions they recieve/send every day. It is very easy to slip past some messages if you have good encryption.

 

How can the Emperor not know what had happaned at Alderaan? Although we did not see it, Tarkin must have informed the Emperor about his plan. No matter how much power he wields, Tarkin is not independednt from the Emperor and it is impossible for him to blow up a planet of such significance that is not even under his control.

The Emperor obviously knows more than he appears to know, but consider this, the Empire is in direct control of the entire galaxy. Sure, there might be opposers every few yards, but the majority of people living in the time of the Empire before the New Republic existed thought that the Empire was doing good for the galaxy. At that, they had no idea how bad it was. If the Empire blew up a planet, they could probably get away with it with most people.

Tarkin had the power to destroy Alderaan, he didn't need the Emperor's direct permission. A planet with such a subtle environment probably had something going on anyway. In Tarkin's eyes, that is.