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Barbary Pirates
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Published: May 3, 2007
The current war on terror situates the mighty force of the United States military against disparate and local resistance forces. But this isn't the first time America has taken on the likes of terrorist renegades. The Barbary pirates were to colonial America what fundamentalist terror cells are to contemporary America. Mainly, they were organized groups of bandits who thrived on kidnapping and surprise attacks upon the larger, more powerful nation states of Western Europe and North America.
The Barbary pirates instilled a permanent fear amongst traders and navel vessels traveling through the Mediterranean Sea.
The history of the Barbary pirates began long before the establishment of the United States. The stronghold of the Barbary pirates was the northern stretch of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, known as the Barbary Coast. Although piracy had been a problem in the Mediterranean for as long as anyone can remember, the Barbary pirates made it especially flagrant and rampant.
The Barbary pirates became a dominant power during the decline of the Muslim dynasties in the 16th century. Previously, these civilizations were part of the larger Muslim dominance throughout the Middle East, Africa, and southern Spain. But with the transference of power from lavish Middle-East rulers to European kings and queens, many rulers on the northern tip of Africa saw their political and military might fade away. As a response to this transferring of economic, social, and political power to European rulers, Barbary pirates, based in the port towns of on the Barbary Coast, began to plunder the rich, European merchant vessels.
The Barbary pirates eventually succeeded in coercing the European rulers into paying tolls as a means to safely trade in the Mediterranean, the African coast, and parts of Europe. The Barbary pirates were often backed by social and political leaders from home countries. As such, the operations of the pirates eventually blossomed into a thriving business model that continually wrought havoc on European vessels. As a result of the lucrative business of stealing both the goods and the persons from merchants, the Barbary pirates would, at times, become rather brazen and exert tremendous and fickle demands on the rich, European leaders. The response from the European countries would often involve extensive bombardment of coastal towns and sever penalties for any Barbary pirates caught at sea.
The United States had very little to do with the Barbary pirates until the American Revolution. While under British rule, American merchants were exempt from the activities of the Barbary pirates because the British government paid the necessary ransom. But when the United States declared independence, they quickly became a target of the Barbary pirates. The pirates asked for excessive ransoms, which the United States begrudgingly paid.
During first and second presidencies, Thomas Jefferson was an ambassador in Europe and often led the negotiations with the Barbary Pirates. But Thomas Jefferson always believed that the more effective method would be a military attack on the port towns and pirate leaders. Even though Thomas Jefferson was an outspoken critic of paying ransom to the pirates, the practice continued and the money spent increased.
By the time Thomas Jefferson had become president, the United States had spent an estimated $2,000,000 in ransoms to the Barbary pirates. Upon Thomas Jefferson's election into presidency in 1801, he immediately set about correcting this policy. Thomas Jefferson began a military offensive against the Barbary Pirates—the first foreign, military endeavor of the United States. The war with the terrorists would continue intermittently until 1815.
The war with the Barbary pirates offers immense information on how to deal with rogue terrorist organizations. Thomas Jefferson, unlike many of his contemporaries, felt that military defeat was the only way to rid society of these bandits. Many of the neo-conservative leaders of contemporary America would agree with him. The military and political leaders who agree with Thomas Jefferson believe that any diplomacy or payment to these groups only increases their activities. As such, they should be completely eliminated.
Whatever the outcome of the current war on terror, the lessons learned and forgotten in both the current political climate and that of colonial America will surely be revisited. The decline of one civilization often precipitates the rise of another, because of this dynamic, those on the lesser end of the military spectrum often resort to terrorist-style methods. How we chose to deal with this resistance often becomes a rallying point of political and social leaders.
Sources:
Barbary Wars. GlobalSecurity.org. 2007. 2 May 2007.
www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/barbary.htm< br />Jewett, Thomas. "Terrorism in Early America: The U.S. Wages War Against The Barbary States To End International Blackmail and Terrorism. Archiving Early America. 2002. 2 May 2007. http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2002_winter_spr ing/terrorism.htm.
Barbary Pirates. Encyclopedia Britannica. 25 Nov 2003. 2 May 2007.
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/ Topics/history/American_and_Military/Barbary_Pirat
The history of the Barbary pirates began long before the establishment of the United States. The stronghold of the Barbary pirates was the northern stretch of Africa on the Mediterranean Sea, known as the Barbary Coast. Although piracy had been a problem in the Mediterranean for as long as anyone can remember, the Barbary pirates made it especially flagrant and rampant.
The Barbary pirates became a dominant power during the decline of the Muslim dynasties in the 16th century. Previously, these civilizations were part of the larger Muslim dominance throughout the Middle East, Africa, and southern Spain. But with the transference of power from lavish Middle-East rulers to European kings and queens, many rulers on the northern tip of Africa saw their political and military might fade away. As a response to this transferring of economic, social, and political power to European rulers, Barbary pirates, based in the port towns of on the Barbary Coast, began to plunder the rich, European merchant vessels.
The Barbary pirates eventually succeeded in coercing the European rulers into paying tolls as a means to safely trade in the Mediterranean, the African coast, and parts of Europe. The Barbary pirates were often backed by social and political leaders from home countries. As such, the operations of the pirates eventually blossomed into a thriving business model that continually wrought havoc on European vessels. As a result of the lucrative business of stealing both the goods and the persons from merchants, the Barbary pirates would, at times, become rather brazen and exert tremendous and fickle demands on the rich, European leaders. The response from the European countries would often involve extensive bombardment of coastal towns and sever penalties for any Barbary pirates caught at sea.
The United States had very little to do with the Barbary pirates until the American Revolution. While under British rule, American merchants were exempt from the activities of the Barbary pirates because the British government paid the necessary ransom. But when the United States declared independence, they quickly became a target of the Barbary pirates. The pirates asked for excessive ransoms, which the United States begrudgingly paid.
During first and second presidencies, Thomas Jefferson was an ambassador in Europe and often led the negotiations with the Barbary Pirates. But Thomas Jefferson always believed that the more effective method would be a military attack on the port towns and pirate leaders. Even though Thomas Jefferson was an outspoken critic of paying ransom to the pirates, the practice continued and the money spent increased.
By the time Thomas Jefferson had become president, the United States had spent an estimated $2,000,000 in ransoms to the Barbary pirates. Upon Thomas Jefferson's election into presidency in 1801, he immediately set about correcting this policy. Thomas Jefferson began a military offensive against the Barbary Pirates—the first foreign, military endeavor of the United States. The war with the terrorists would continue intermittently until 1815.
The war with the Barbary pirates offers immense information on how to deal with rogue terrorist organizations. Thomas Jefferson, unlike many of his contemporaries, felt that military defeat was the only way to rid society of these bandits. Many of the neo-conservative leaders of contemporary America would agree with him. The military and political leaders who agree with Thomas Jefferson believe that any diplomacy or payment to these groups only increases their activities. As such, they should be completely eliminated.
Whatever the outcome of the current war on terror, the lessons learned and forgotten in both the current political climate and that of colonial America will surely be revisited. The decline of one civilization often precipitates the rise of another, because of this dynamic, those on the lesser end of the military spectrum often resort to terrorist-style methods. How we chose to deal with this resistance often becomes a rallying point of political and social leaders.
Sources:
Barbary Wars. GlobalSecurity.org. 2007. 2 May 2007.
www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/barbary.htm< br />Jewett, Thomas. "Terrorism in Early America: The U.S. Wages War Against The Barbary States To End International Blackmail and Terrorism. Archiving Early America. 2002. 2 May 2007. http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/2002_winter_spr ing/terrorism.htm.
Barbary Pirates. Encyclopedia Britannica. 25 Nov 2003. 2 May 2007.
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/ Topics/history/American_and_Military/Barbary_Pirat
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