Subtle distinction: we overthrew noone, we simply pounded them a bit with Navy and Marines until they backed off. And President Jefferson had the authority to do this in order to protect American commerce. He would not, however, have had the authority to commit the resources of the War Department - the Army, had their been a standing Army - without a formal declaration of war from Congress.
Fact is, he would have attacked us regardless of whether we had troops in Saudi Arabia or not.
I'm not sure you can state as a fact - with absolute certainty - that OBL would have attacked us if we had not had troops in the Middle East. Can you cite a source?
"Subtle distinction: we overthrew noone,"
Barbary Pirates were no longer a threat after that.
"I'm not sure you can state as a fact - with absolute certainty - that OBL would have attacked us if we had not had troops in the Middle East. Can you cite a source?"
How many attacks did OBL's outfit do?
Hint: Plenty
How many of them had anything to do with Saudi Arabia?
Hint: None.
Yes, OBL would have attacked us anyway.
Saying that if we just pulled out of Saudi Arabia OBL would just leave us alone is fanciful thinking at best, and dangerously ignorant at worst.