Government Employee Defends Tank Use During Workplace Dispute
A workplace disagreement escalates after a government employee insists tracked military hardware was a proportionate response to a colleague's betrayal.
News Intro
A dispute between two former colleagues has raised questions about workplace conflict management after a government employee allegedly used a tank while attempting to resolve a long-running professional disagreement.
Officials insist the matter began as a personnel issue.
Witnesses say it eventually involved a satellite weapon capable of causing global disruption.
The organisation has declined to comment further.
The Reddit Post
AITA for using a tank after a colleague betrayed me?
Throwaway account because several intelligence agencies monitor my main.
I (M, 40s) work in government.
Several years ago a colleague and close friend was presumed dead during a difficult project. Recently I discovered he had actually faked his death, stolen a highly sensitive satellite system and begun threatening large sections of the planet.
Naturally I attempted to discuss the matter.
Unfortunately he remained uncooperative.
One thing led to another and I may have acquired a tank.
In my defence:
- He had a space weapon.
- I had a tank.
- This felt proportionate.
Several buildings were damaged.
Traffic was affected.
A statue may have suffered cosmetic issues.
Eventually we resolved the disagreement at his workplace.
He did not survive the performance review.
AITA?
EDIT: A lot of people are focusing on the tank.
EDIT 2: The satellite was much bigger than the tank.
EDIT 3: Stop asking whether I had permission to use the tank.
Expert Analysis
Most workplace disputes benefit from communication, mediation and clear expectations. Introducing armoured vehicles generally reduces the likelihood of productive dialogue.
Several legal questions arise from this case. Most notably, whether ownership of a satellite weapon grants immunity from employment law. Preliminary analysis suggests it does not.
Observers remain divided over whether the incident represents a failure of governance, a failure of security, or a failure to notice that a supposedly dead employee was still attending meetings.
Unrelated Expert Analysis
The facility appears inaccessible by rail. While many commentators have focused on the satellite weapon, transport connectivity remains the more concerning issue.
Initial estimates place the financial impact somewhere between "significant" and "extremely significant". The tank alone creates paperwork challenges.
Mr Thompson later revised the estimate upward after learning about the satellite.
What Reddit Thinks
u/Temporary_Cucumber_5 · 48291 points · 6h ago
NTA. I feel like people are getting distracted by the tank.
u/ConcernedBadger481 · 28114 points · 6h ago
INFO: Why did your colleague have a space weapon?
u/GooseOfRegret22 · 24001 points · 6h ago
Everyone keeps talking about the tank and nobody is talking about the orbital weapon.
u/NotAlecTrevelyan1986 · 118 points · 6h ago
We're only hearing one side of the story.
u/DefinitelyNotAlec_007 · 96 points · 6h ago
Exactly.
u/WaffleEngineer88 · 17211 points · 6h ago
Counterpoint: the tank sounds awesome.
Community Poll
Community Poll
Latest reader breakdown
Was the tank response proportionate?
Update
The original poster later returned with an update.
Thanks for all the feedback.
Many people suggested I should have pursued mediation.
Unfortunately mediation became difficult once the satellite started exploding.
The tank was ultimately effective.