Why is the IOA still allowed to exist?

[AvanGard]

Making the military own up to their decisions.

That has to be the most generalized answer ever.

Putting Weir in charge of the Atlantis expedition.
Putting Carter in charge of the Atlantis expedition.

So employment is a decent decision. Then they were fired. Well Weir would have. These were not descent decisions... they were meant to serve the IOA purpose. Even consider that both characters were in constant disagreement with the IOA. Would you hire someone who is constantly going to disagree with you and disobey your instructions?

There have been more then 2 - 5 IOA members we have seen. Many more then that have been talked about as well. We don't necessarily see everyone, or everything - but it doesn't mean it doesn't reach further.

More than five in a single scene? If you introduce an element into a story such as the IOA, you have to give it more attention and prove its influence. Having two people discussing the faith of Earth the galaxy or the universe is not really it (besides the main story heroes). I am sure there is a ton of stuff to be discussed. Let’s just end with; it’s a matter of opinion. And that there are two such opinions in here.

Either way the IOA will continue to take part in SGU and the "upcoming" movies.

p.s. Most "decent decision" by the IOA, create replicators to kill the Ori. (sarcasm)

[Deevil]

That has to be the most generalized answer ever.

Hyperbole much?

So employment is a decent decision. Then they were fired. Well Weir would have. These were not descent decisions... they were meant to serve the IOA purpose.

Well, duh! They weren't there to serve the purpose of the Hells Angels.

Even consider that both characters were in constant disagreement with the IOA. Would you hire someone who is constantly going to disagree with you and disobey your instructions?

And, when they disobeyed their instructions, they should have to pay for it. Weir, Carter and even Woosley didn't always make the best of decisions.

More than five in a single scene? If you introduce an element into a story such as the IOA, you have to give it more attention and prove its influence.

We have had that influence proved. Having multiple IOA members in a scene doesn't make their influence more pronounced.

I am sure there is a ton of stuff to be discussed. Let’s just end with; it’s a matter of opinion. And that there are two such opinions in here.

Erm, the idea s to discuss the issues - but whatever.

Either way the IOA will continue to take part in SGU and the "upcoming" movies.

You'll hear no complaint from me. Although, I want to know how you know who's gonnabe in the movies.

p.s. Most "decent decision" by the IOA, create replicators to kill the Ori. (sarcasm)

Of course, the best decision Weir ever made was was to genetically alter a Wraith. Yeah, good times. The reason why oversight is needed.

[Sami_]

• Atlantis is on Earth (As far as we know)
• No big bad (Goa'uld, Ori, etc) = no need for extra funding
• The annoyance they cause to the Air Force

Well look at the project that was underway in the first episode of SGU, that kind of thing doesn't pay for itself.

I disagree that funding is no longer required.

[P-90_177]

Oh they'd definitely tell and find about a billion ways to blackmail the government/military. I still say dump them permanently. Let the public know about the stargate program etc. The US has plenty of assests to keep everyone acting respectful and proper.

o...k... the US can't even control Afganistan without help from just about evryone else on the planet with an army.
Or if you mean ecomicaly well......you hav some ok military hardware and I'd probably miss hollywood movies if the were gone so fair enough.
Or if you mean poltical assets...well...no likes america these days.

No need for the IOA. Seems like every time the military gets caught up in something that is obviously rediculous (like a 9 year war in Afgan/iraq) its because of the politicians pulling the strings. Remove the politicians and remove the problem.

Yes....solve that problem and bring in a whole load more.

[KEK]

I mean, seriously... they aren't exactly needed anymore. The fact that they are still allowed to order the SG personnel around is laughable. There are several reasons why they aren't needed anymore:

• Atlantis is on Earth (As far as we know)
• No big bad (Goa'uld, Ori, etc) = no need for extra funding
• The annoyance they cause to the Air Force

At this point the U.S. Government could cut off the rest of the world from participation in the Stargate program, kick all international personnel out of Atlantis, and tell the IOA bureaucrats to take a hike and there's really nothing they could do about it. I'm not advicating U.S. only participation in the Stargate program, but the IOA model doesn't work and something else would need to be negotiated, especially since none of the other countries have any significant leverage.

The point is that there is no logical reason the IOA should not be allowed to exist any longer. They seem to only be around as a point of contention at this point anyway. They should be done away with. Soon.

How? Half the military personnel on Atlantis aren't from the US, and the city is lead by a member of the IOA. I wouldn't say the rest of the world doesn't have any leverage either, the US can't afford to run the program on it's own, nor the expertise (for all SG endeavours), not to mention the fact that the IOA could just threaten to expose them. You really think a US president is going to want to be the one revealed to have lied to the public? At this point the IOA has the carrot and the stick to stay in charge for a long time indeed.

No need for the IOA. Seems like every time the military gets caught up in something that is obviously rediculous (like a 9 year war in Afgan/iraq) its because of the politicians pulling the strings. Remove the politicians and remove the problem.

So you want to live under a military dictatorship?

[malfunction]

Every mission undertaken by SGC personnel has to be approved by the IOA, so every bit of good done by the SGC is indirectly the IOA decision.

Earth needs the major military power working together in order to properly defend the planet. Earth needs a power source that rivals a ZPM, as without a ZPM in Antarctica Earth would have no chance defeating an attacking fleet of serious numbers. With all the scientific minds the world has to offer and literally all the money in the world to spend on the research, the rate of progress would be increased. Without the extra funding of the IOA the USAF could only slowly build a fleet of 304's or research new power sources, not both. With the extra funding ship production has increased and other technological advances are coming too.

Look how far Earth has advanced since 'Disclosure' with the combined efforts of the richest countries on the planet working together advances are coming quicker.

[smooTh__]

Oh they'd definitely tell and find about a billion ways to blackmail the government/military. I still say dump them permanently. Let the public know about the stargate program etc. The US has plenty of assests to keep everyone acting respectful and proper.

Are you guys (the defenders of dissolving the IOA) completely oblivious to reality?

Let's pretend for a second that the stargate program is real. And let's pretend the US government "kicked all international personell out" of this program.

How exactly do you think countries like China and Russia will react to this? Seriously, do you think they'll just let this go peacefully? Exposing the program to the public is the *least* they would do. They would never ever tolerate to get kicked out.

And besides, the international personell has included/includes Zelenka, McKay, Rush, Grodin and Beckett. Let's kick them all out plx, Stargate woulda been much better without these people.

[X-3-0-2]

Why do the UN still exist?

Seriously, the US shouldn't runt he Stargate program by themselves... and they can't because they can't afford too. Ohh and, because they had to tell the major world leaders about it, and do you think Russia, or China will not tell the entire world about its existence if they were cut out of the program?

The Stargate wiki entry:

The IOA's jurisdiction gives them the power to give orders to SGC personnel, and recommend or recall personnel from Stargate facilities, though the IOA is often forced to allow operations to proceed how they want.

IOA personnel are generally portrayed as arrogant, selfish, greedy, close-minded and xenophobic control-freaks. With time, the IOA's leaders became more sympathetic and open-minded to change from the strict policies and directives they force others to enforce. Generally, however, that members of the SGC and Atlantis hold the IOA in disdain.

During the Ori crusade, the IOA greenlit a mission to to the Ori home galaxy in order to locate the Ark of Truth as well as destroy the Supergate. However, they did not believe the plan would secure victory against the threat Earth faced and ordered their agent to use the Asgard datacore to recreate the Replicators in order to unleash them against the Human followers of the Ori. Once the threat had been neutralized, the IOA would initiate a self-destruct code built into the Replicators. However, it grew out of control and the replicators tried to disable the code only to be shut down. The IOA later apologized to SG-1 for their actions. (SG1: "Stargate: Ark of Truth")

Lately, the IOA Field Operations Division was set up to center on combating alien threats on Earth. This has been the most supported IOA decision to date.
Known Leaders

* Committee Head Carl Strom
* Organization Representative/Atlantis Expedition Commander Richard Woolsey
* British Representative Russel Chapman
* Chinese Representative Shen Xiaoyi
* French Representative Jean LaPierre
* Russian Representative/Starship Commander Colonel Chekov (possibly deceased)
* U.S. Representative James Coolidge

Other Personnel

* CIA Black Ops Agent James Marrick (deceased)
* IOA Field Operations Division Special Agent Bates
* Camile Wray - human resources executive

[X-3-0-2]

Why do the UN still exist?

Seriously, the US shouldn't runt he Stargate program by themselves... and they can't because they can't afford too. Ohh and, because they had to tell the major world leaders about it, and do you think Russia, or China will not tell the entire world about its existence if they were cut out of the program?

The Stargate wiki entry:

The IOA's jurisdiction gives them the power to give orders to SGC personnel, and recommend or recall personnel from Stargate facilities, though the IOA is often forced to allow operations to proceed how they want.

IOA personnel are generally portrayed as arrogant, selfish, greedy, close-minded and xenophobic control-freaks. With time, the IOA's leaders became more sympathetic and open-minded to change from the strict policies and directives they force others to enforce. Generally, however, that members of the SGC and Atlantis hold the IOA in disdain.

During the Ori crusade, the IOA greenlit a mission to to the Ori home galaxy in order to locate the Ark of Truth as well as destroy the Supergate. However, they did not believe the plan would secure victory against the threat Earth faced and ordered their agent to use the Asgard datacore to recreate the Replicators in order to unleash them against the Human followers of the Ori. Once the threat had been neutralized, the IOA would initiate a self-destruct code built into the Replicators. However, it grew out of control and the replicators tried to disable the code only to be shut down. The IOA later apologized to SG-1 for their actions. (SG1: "Stargate: Ark of Truth")

Lately, the IOA Field Operations Division was set up to center on combating alien threats on Earth. This has been the most supported IOA decision to date.
Known Leaders

* Committee Head Carl Strom
* Organization Representative/Atlantis Expedition Commander Richard Woolsey
* British Representative Russel Chapman
* Chinese Representative Shen Xiaoyi
* French Representative Jean LaPierre
* Russian Representative/Starship Commander Colonel Chekov (possibly deceased)
* U.S. Representative James Coolidge

Other Personnel

* CIA Black Ops Agent James Marrick (deceased)
* IOA Field Operations Division Special Agent Bates
* Camile Wray - human resources executive

[KEK]

Huge swathes of Stargate wiki are nothing more than made-up nonsense from fans, it's not even close to being a reliable source.

[Aer'ki]

Yes, because civilian oversight is such a blight upon the world...

Actually, for the most part...yeah, it is. And an insult to the military(suggesting they are inherently untrustworthy).

[KEK]

Actually, for the most part...yeah, it is.

Examples please.

And an insult to the military(suggesting they are inherently untrustworthy).

That's because they are. Without civilian oversight the military is essentially a dictatorship, with it, the military serves the people, the way it should be.

[locutes]

then we'd get 'L Etait C'Est Moi AGAIN, meaning the state, thats me!

So we'd get a Hitler AGAIN

[locutes]

Also, other important Nato states should be brought into the IOA

[smooTh__]

Since we have seen personell from a great many nations, including but not limited to Sweden, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Czech Rep, Serbia, Phillipines and Belgium ("seen" as in observed personell with these flags on their uniforms, not necessarily interacted with) on Atlantis, I think it's safe to assume these nations government knows about the stargate program. It's not a stretch to assume they probably have IOA representatives too.

I mean, c'mon if Zimbabwe has a guy on atlantis, then EVERYONE knows! =P