My on-going theory right now is that this whole Red Angel thing is just a time travel plot by future Section 31 rebels, essentially to push the Federation's future leadership in a direction that would be less favorable to General Order One and more favorable to activist intervention, because it's THE ONLY way I can see them existing as it's current organization during the TNG/DS9/VOY era. Because EVERY FUCKING DECISION this season flies in the face of the Prime Directive... and while small breaks are more acceptable (I'm okay with Pike giving the guy a battery so that those settlers can have lights/power and telling that guy to move on with his life), what happened during the Saru episode is JANEWAY LEVELS of stupid.
I prefered my old theory (that this was a build up to Iconians) because it's just way... way less stupid.