Star Trek -can anyone answer this?

[osprey]

As the Romulans ( and others ) have a cloaking device, why didn't the United Federation of Planets develop a similar kind of device? Was it because they thought it wrong to cloak themselves as it could deem to be a threat to other species or was it for some technological reason? I realise this might be a futile question, but there might be someone out there able to provide an answer to a question that has been bugging me for ages.

[marwel7]

The Romunlans developed the cloaking device and the Klingons acquired the technoogy when they had an alliance with the Romulans.
Federation ships are prohibited from using cloaking devices under the terms of Treaty Of Algeron.(Don't ask me why)
In the TNG episode Pegasus the titular ship had been fitted with an illegal experimental cloaking device which ended disastrously.
In DS9 for a timeThe Defiant was fitted with a cloaking devieby special arrangement with the Romulans,in the war with the Dominion,and a Romulan was assigned to the ship to work and service it.

[Doc_Spock]

While we are on the subject, the original series stated, a five year mission to boldy go etc.

Why then did some epsodes refer to star fleet directives to transport some ambassador or other somewhere.

Cant go getting diverted on a 5 year mission to explore etc.

[tonymclark]

I would guess the Enterprise was used to transport ambassadors in order to open up the story-lines.

[mushroom25]

gene roddenberry is alleged to have said years ago:-
"our people are scientists - they don't go sneaking around".

the treaty of algeron ended the romulan wars and created the neutral zone, violation of which (by either side) was considered an act of war. it also obliged the federation to give up developing or using cloaking devices.

[osprey]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

On another subject, which was the first episode to feature The Dominion and what do you consider to be the best episode/s featuring them?

[twazerk]

Er, Hello, sorry to shatter your already sad little lives, but, It's not real, it's just a sh!t telly program.







I'll get my coat