NAP-stabbing is a potential tool for all players, and there are right and wrong times to do it.
The best example I can think of when a NAP-stab is basically required is when two Civs (call them A and B) have a NAP near the end of the game. After the NAP was signed, it becomes clear to all civs that B is about to win the game. However, A can break their NAP and prevent B from winning.
If we believe that all players should be playing to win the game, that means using everything within their power and the game rules to do so. It is clearly within A's power and rules of the game for him to NAP-stab and thereby avoid defeat. In that case, I think A MUST NAP-stab. Doing otherwise lowers the integrity of the game. It would then be unfair to penalize A in future games for attempting to win this game, even though it involved NAP-stabbing.
Another option would be to create new rules for CIV or Pitboss games, where NAPs are binding agreements between parties, enforceable through threads and lurkers. This would be much like the turn-order agreements that are in place in the different PB games. But until these rules are created, there are situations where NAP-stabbing should occur.
The best example I can think of when a NAP-stab is basically required is when two Civs (call them A and B) have a NAP near the end of the game. After the NAP was signed, it becomes clear to all civs that B is about to win the game. However, A can break their NAP and prevent B from winning.
If we believe that all players should be playing to win the game, that means using everything within their power and the game rules to do so. It is clearly within A's power and rules of the game for him to NAP-stab and thereby avoid defeat. In that case, I think A MUST NAP-stab. Doing otherwise lowers the integrity of the game. It would then be unfair to penalize A in future games for attempting to win this game, even though it involved NAP-stabbing.
Another option would be to create new rules for CIV or Pitboss games, where NAPs are binding agreements between parties, enforceable through threads and lurkers. This would be much like the turn-order agreements that are in place in the different PB games. But until these rules are created, there are situations where NAP-stabbing should occur.