while Ramsey in “Crimson Tide” is merely hawkish and reckless.

I have to disagree, Ramsey (Gene Hackman) in "Crimson Tide" gives during all the confrontation scenes a very good arguments about why they have to launch, for me as good as Denzel Washington character ones. He is hawkish and violent, but even at the end he says, let's sit down and see who is right. He was acting on good conscience even if his position was brutal and could cause a World War. That's why his character is so good, because his motivations were right.

Here the Admiral is never right, he is just looking for revenge, even if he denies it, until is drugged. That's why the episode pales in comparison, because there is someone who is right and someone who is not. Yeah, we still maybe have to see that mysterious cloacking ship again, and then maybe someone, Kirk, can feel some remorse, but I don't think so. He did the right thing, everybody knows