"To the Shores of Tripoli"
Great piece on history that is related to our times,
And why the Marine Hymn Contains the Verse,
"To the Shores of Tripoli"
Muslim Pirates of the Past
Most Americans are unaware of the fact that over two hundred years ago, the
United States had declared war on Islam, and Thomas Jefferson led the charge!
United States had declared war on Islam, and Thomas Jefferson led the charge!
At the height of the eighteenth century, Muslim pirates were the
terror of the Mediterranean and a large area of the North Atlantic.
terror of the Mediterranean and a large area of the North Atlantic.
They attacked every ship in sight, and held the crews for exorbitant
ransoms. Those taken hostage were subjected to barbaric
treatment and wrote heart breaking letters home, begging their
government and family members to pay whatever their Mohammedan captors
demanded.
ransoms. Those taken hostage were subjected to barbaric
treatment and wrote heart breaking letters home, begging their
government and family members to pay whatever their Mohammedan captors
demanded.
These extortionists of the high seas represented the Islamic nations
of Tripoli, Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers collectively referred to as
the Barbary Coast and presented a dangerous and unprovoked threat to
the new American Republic.
of Tripoli, Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers collectively referred to as
the Barbary Coast and presented a dangerous and unprovoked threat to
the new American Republic.
Before the Revolutionary War, U.S. merchant ships had been under the
protection of Great Britain. When the U.S. declared its
independence and entered into war, the ships of the United States were
protected by France. However, once the war was won, America had to
protect its own fleets.
protection of Great Britain. When the U.S. declared its
independence and entered into war, the ships of the United States were
protected by France. However, once the war was won, America had to
protect its own fleets.
Thus, the birth of the U.S. Navy. Beginning in 1784, seventeen years
before he would become president, Thomas Jefferson became Americas
Minister to France. That same year, the U.S. Congress sought to
appease its Muslim adversaries by following in the footsteps of
European nations who paid bribes to the Barbary States, rather than
engaging them in war.
before he would become president, Thomas Jefferson became Americas
Minister to France. That same year, the U.S. Congress sought to
appease its Muslim adversaries by following in the footsteps of
European nations who paid bribes to the Barbary States, rather than
engaging them in war.
In July of 1785, Algerian pirates captured American ships, and the Dye
of Algiers demanded an unheard-of ransom of $60,000. It was a
plain and simple case of extortion, and Thomas Jefferson was
vehemently opposed to any further payments. Instead, he proposed
to Congress the formation of a coalition of allied nations who
together could force the Islamic states into peace. A
disinterested Congress decided to pay the ransom.
of Algiers demanded an unheard-of ransom of $60,000. It was a
plain and simple case of extortion, and Thomas Jefferson was
vehemently opposed to any further payments. Instead, he proposed
to Congress the formation of a coalition of allied nations who
together could force the Islamic states into peace. A
disinterested Congress decided to pay the ransom.
In 1786, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams met with Tripolis ambassador
to Great Britain to ask by what right his nation attacked American
ships and enslaved American citizens, and why Muslims held so much
hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous
contacts.
to Great Britain to ask by what right his nation attacked American
ships and enslaved American citizens, and why Muslims held so much
hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous
contacts.
The two future presidents reported that Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman
Adja had answered that Islam "was founded on the Laws of their
Prophet, that it was written in their Quran, that all nations who
should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was
their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be
found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and
that every Musselman (Muslim) who should be slain in Battle was sure
to go to Paradise."
Despite of this stunning admission of premeditated violence on
non-Muslim nations, as well as the objections of many notable American
leaders, including George Washington, who warned that caving in was
both wrong and would only further embolden the enemy. For the
following fifteen years, the American government paid the Muslims
millions of dollars for the safe passage of American ships or the
return of American hostages. The payments in ransom and tribute
amounted to over twenty percent of the United States government annual
revenues in 1800.
Jefferson was disgusted. Shortly after his being sworn in as the third
President of the United States in 1801, the Pasha of Tripoli sent him
a note demanding the immediate payment of $225,000 plus $25,000 a year
for every year forthcoming. That changed everything.
Jefferson let the Pasha know, in no uncertain terms, what he could do with his
demand. The Pasha responded by cutting down the flagpole at the
American consulate and declared war on the United States. Tunis,
Morocco, and Algiers immediately followed suit. Jefferson, until
now, had been against America raising a naval force for anything
beyond coastal defense, but having watched his nation be cowed by
Islamic thugery for long enough, decided that is was finally time to
meet force with force.
non-Muslim nations, as well as the objections of many notable American
leaders, including George Washington, who warned that caving in was
both wrong and would only further embolden the enemy. For the
following fifteen years, the American government paid the Muslims
millions of dollars for the safe passage of American ships or the
return of American hostages. The payments in ransom and tribute
amounted to over twenty percent of the United States government annual
revenues in 1800.
Jefferson was disgusted. Shortly after his being sworn in as the third
President of the United States in 1801, the Pasha of Tripoli sent him
a note demanding the immediate payment of $225,000 plus $25,000 a year
for every year forthcoming. That changed everything.
Jefferson let the Pasha know, in no uncertain terms, what he could do with his
demand. The Pasha responded by cutting down the flagpole at the
American consulate and declared war on the United States. Tunis,
Morocco, and Algiers immediately followed suit. Jefferson, until
now, had been against America raising a naval force for anything
beyond coastal defense, but having watched his nation be cowed by
Islamic thugery for long enough, decided that is was finally time to
meet force with force.
He dispatched a squadron of frigates to the Mediterranean and taught
the Muslim nations of the Barbary Coast a lesson he hoped they would
never forget. Congress authorized Jefferson to empower U.S.
ships to seize all vessels and goods of the Pasha of Tripoli and to
cause to be done all other acts of precaution or hostility as the
state of war would justify.
the Muslim nations of the Barbary Coast a lesson he hoped they would
never forget. Congress authorized Jefferson to empower U.S.
ships to seize all vessels and goods of the Pasha of Tripoli and to
cause to be done all other acts of precaution or hostility as the
state of war would justify.
When Algiers and Tunis, who were both accustomed to American cowardice
and acquiescence, saw the newly independent United States had both the
will and the might to strike back, they quickly abandoned their
allegiance to Tripoli. The war with Tripoli lasted for four more
years, and raged up again in 1815. The bravery of the U.S.
Marine Corps in these wars led to the line to the shores of Tripoli
in the Marine Hymn, and they would forever be known as leathernecks
for the leather collars of their uniforms, designed to prevent their
heads from being cut off by the Muslim scimitars when boarding enemy
ships.
and acquiescence, saw the newly independent United States had both the
will and the might to strike back, they quickly abandoned their
allegiance to Tripoli. The war with Tripoli lasted for four more
years, and raged up again in 1815. The bravery of the U.S.
Marine Corps in these wars led to the line to the shores of Tripoli
in the Marine Hymn, and they would forever be known as leathernecks
for the leather collars of their uniforms, designed to prevent their
heads from being cut off by the Muslim scimitars when boarding enemy
ships.
Islam, and what its Barbary followers justified doing in the name of
their prophet and their god, disturbed Jefferson quite deeply.
America had a tradition of religious tolerance, the fact that Jefferson,
himself, had co-authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,
but fundamentalist Islam was like no other religion the world had ever
seen. A religion based on supremacism, whose holy book not only
condoned but mandated violence against unbelievers was unacceptable to
him. His greatest fear was that someday this brand of Islam
would return and pose an even greater threat to the United States.
their prophet and their god, disturbed Jefferson quite deeply.
America had a tradition of religious tolerance, the fact that Jefferson,
himself, had co-authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,
but fundamentalist Islam was like no other religion the world had ever
seen. A religion based on supremacism, whose holy book not only
condoned but mandated violence against unbelievers was unacceptable to
him. His greatest fear was that someday this brand of Islam
would return and pose an even greater threat to the United States.
This should bother every American. That Muslims have brought
about women-only classes and swimming times at taxpayer-funded
universities and public pools; that Christians, Jews, and Hindus have
about women-only classes and swimming times at taxpayer-funded
universities and public pools; that Christians, Jews, and Hindus have
been banned from serving on juries where Muslim defendants are being judged,
Piggy banks and Porky Pig tissue dispensers have been banned from workplaces
because they offend Islamist sensibilities.
Ice cream has been discontinued at certain Burger King locations because
the picture on the wrapper looks similar to the Arabic script for Allah,
because they offend Islamist sensibilities.
Ice cream has been discontinued at certain Burger King locations because
the picture on the wrapper looks similar to the Arabic script for Allah,
public schools are pulling pork from their menus, on and on in
the newspapers….
the newspapers….
Its death by a thousand cuts, or inch-by-inch as some refer to it,
and most Americans have no idea that this battle is being waged every
day across America. By not fighting back, by allowing groups to
obfuscate what is really happening, and not insisting that the
Islamists adapt to our own culture, the United States is cutting its
own throat with a politically correct knife, and helping to further
the Islamists agenda. Sadly, it appears that todays America would
rather be politically correct than victorious.
and most Americans have no idea that this battle is being waged every
day across America. By not fighting back, by allowing groups to
obfuscate what is really happening, and not insisting that the
Islamists adapt to our own culture, the United States is cutting its
own throat with a politically correct knife, and helping to further
the Islamists agenda. Sadly, it appears that todays America would
rather be politically correct than victorious.
Any doubts, just ‘Google’ Thomas Jefferson vs the Muslim
