The timeline changes from the new Star Trek movies imply that the Vulcans (pacifist science beatniks driven by cold logic) hold dramatically less sway over Star

The timeline changes from the new Star Trek movies imply that the Vulcans (pacifist science beatniks driven by cold logic) hold dramatically less sway over Starfleet Command, which is why Admiral Marcus almost succeeded in a coup. Kirk always had a mixed-bag relationship with Starfleet and had to go to bat up against them in Spock's favor. Picard also foiled a number of infiltrations on Earth during the early seasons of TNG. Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien repeatedly tussled with agents of Section 31 on DS9. Tom Riker ended up fleeing Starfleet so he could fight with the Maquis, who were betrayed by the Federation and tortured by Cardassian overlords. Sisko himself murdered an ambassador and implicated the Dominion in a diplomatic plot to get Romulans to join the war. There's a hell of a lot of well-intentioned extremists, even in Star Trek's utopia. Now what happens when you take away the biggest voice of reason? Sends shivers down my spine to think about what kind of darkness in the hearts of men the crew of the Possibly-Enterprise will wrestle with.