Now, the second issue, that of the attack on Rand Protectorate's assets.
What the show tends not to state outright is the chain of command when it comes to the SGC, and its autonomy in making policy decisions for the U.S (ostensibly on behalf of Earth) with regards to other planets. In fact, the SGC is a front-line facility that, as evidenced on numerous occasions, has the capacity to make instant decisions regarding the U.S position to extra-terrestrial individuals and planets. Because the situations SGC encounters normally are time-sensitive, the SGC commander has the ability and autonomy to make rapid-response decisions of the kind that would normally be debated in military and political circles for months. It is later on that the commander's decisions are reviewed at all sorts of levels and on one occasion the President determined that the commander should be re-assigned.
Generals Hammond, O'Neill and Landry (and Dr Weir) have had an extraordinary responsibility implicit in their commands. They are the proxy for the entire U.S goverment, and by default, the planet. What is also not usually highlighted on the show but is implicit in countless episodes, is that authority extends to SGC personnel that are in the field, representing their planet. Also, there is a 2IC for the SGC - the leader of the SG-1 unit, whether that be Jack, Sam or Mitchell. Due to the rapid-response nature of their work, if for whatever reason the General is not present, we have seen time and again that SG-1 leader (or the most senior SG-1 member present) has the authority to make decisions, the most common been the opening of the iris (which in effect, is an order to lower the planet's defences).
As such, Mitchell had plenty of autonomy and authority to make decisions without Landry's presence. And let us not forget that the Rand government was officially a hostile nation - they had severed diplomatic ties and had declared allegiance to the Orii, with whom Earth is at war. They have seen evidence that those who pledge loyalty to the Orii are not merely in bed with the enemy, but are often called upon to carry out operations for the Orii (see the Sodan experience). Not to mention that the Orii had outfitted these followers with a powerful weapon and were already actively using it to subjugate another culture to Origin. As such, they were a hostile nation and Mitchell is well within his rights as de facto SGC commander to order aggressive operations against it.
However, even to satisfy the die-hard supporters of sovereignty in this case, they sent an extraordinary diplomatic mission, at the Rand government's invitation, in the form of Daniel to try some rather desparate attempts at convincing them to dismantle the weapon. And then, the Rand proceeded to detain without notification the diplomatic representative of Earth, never once dialling Earth to explain their actions. As such, the Tau'ri should have presumed that Rand was either hostile or at war, and were well within their rights to attack an unmanned drone asset.
What the show tends not to state outright is the chain of command when it comes to the SGC, and its autonomy in making policy decisions for the U.S (ostensibly on behalf of Earth) with regards to other planets. In fact, the SGC is a front-line facility that, as evidenced on numerous occasions, has the capacity to make instant decisions regarding the U.S position to extra-terrestrial individuals and planets. Because the situations SGC encounters normally are time-sensitive, the SGC commander has the ability and autonomy to make rapid-response decisions of the kind that would normally be debated in military and political circles for months. It is later on that the commander's decisions are reviewed at all sorts of levels and on one occasion the President determined that the commander should be re-assigned.
Generals Hammond, O'Neill and Landry (and Dr Weir) have had an extraordinary responsibility implicit in their commands. They are the proxy for the entire U.S goverment, and by default, the planet. What is also not usually highlighted on the show but is implicit in countless episodes, is that authority extends to SGC personnel that are in the field, representing their planet. Also, there is a 2IC for the SGC - the leader of the SG-1 unit, whether that be Jack, Sam or Mitchell. Due to the rapid-response nature of their work, if for whatever reason the General is not present, we have seen time and again that SG-1 leader (or the most senior SG-1 member present) has the authority to make decisions, the most common been the opening of the iris (which in effect, is an order to lower the planet's defences).
As such, Mitchell had plenty of autonomy and authority to make decisions without Landry's presence. And let us not forget that the Rand government was officially a hostile nation - they had severed diplomatic ties and had declared allegiance to the Orii, with whom Earth is at war. They have seen evidence that those who pledge loyalty to the Orii are not merely in bed with the enemy, but are often called upon to carry out operations for the Orii (see the Sodan experience). Not to mention that the Orii had outfitted these followers with a powerful weapon and were already actively using it to subjugate another culture to Origin. As such, they were a hostile nation and Mitchell is well within his rights as de facto SGC commander to order aggressive operations against it.
However, even to satisfy the die-hard supporters of sovereignty in this case, they sent an extraordinary diplomatic mission, at the Rand government's invitation, in the form of Daniel to try some rather desparate attempts at convincing them to dismantle the weapon. And then, the Rand proceeded to detain without notification the diplomatic representative of Earth, never once dialling Earth to explain their actions. As such, the Tau'ri should have presumed that Rand was either hostile or at war, and were well within their rights to attack an unmanned drone asset.
got away unstractched? Yet 
got beaten up.
...especially with cameron playing some good ship flying moments.
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