The Colonial War Against Islam

Front Page ^ | January 5, 2007 | Andrew Walden

[IrishMike]

America has been fighting Islamists for longer than many realize. Even before independence was declared, American ships were pirated and their Christian crews enslaved by Muslim pirates operating under the control of the “Dey of Algiers”—an Ottoman Islamist warlord ruling Algeria. When the colonists rebelled against British rule in 1776, American ships lost Royal Navy protection. A Revolutionary War-era alliance with France offered French protection to US ships, but it expired in 1783. Immediately, U.S. ships came under attack and in October 1784 the American trader “Betsey” was taken by Moroccan forces. This was followed with Algerians and Libyans (Tripolitans) capturing two more U.S. ships in 1785.

Lacking the ability to project U.S. naval force in the Mediterranean, America tried appeasement. In 1784, Congress agreed to fund tributes and ransoms in order to rescue U.S. ships and buy the freedom of enslaved American sailors.

In 1786, Thomas Jefferson, then U.S. ambassador to France, and John Adams, then American Ambassador to Britain, met in London with Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja, the Dey’s ambassador to Britain, in an attempt to negotiate a peace treaty based on Congress’ vote of funding. To Congress, these two future presidents later reported the reasons for the Muslims’ hostility towards America, a nation with which they had no previous contacts.

…that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, 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.

Sound familiar?

[IrishMike]

Modern day Americans would do well to consider the lessons of the War with Islamism fought by Thomas Jefferson and again by James Madison and this alternate meaning in Franklin’s final words of warning.

That's us folks.

[ANGGAPO]

It seems approbate to post a comment from Australia to the above.
Something to ponder.
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get
out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off
potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia
and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his
Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown.

Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some
radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that
Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those
are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic
state, then Australia is not for you ", he said on national television.
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing
people in Australia : one the Australian law and another, the Islamic law that
is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts,
democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another
country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those
with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country.
Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not
want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want
to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values and
understand them, well then, they can basically clear off" , he said.

Separately, Howar d angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote:
"IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual
or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge
in patriotism by the majority of Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically
correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was
offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against
anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia ." "However, there
are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and
apparently some born here, need to understand."
"This idea of Australia being a multi cultural community has served only to
dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Australians, we have our
own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle."

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and
victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese,
Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our
society, learn the language!"

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing,
political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian
principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly
appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then
I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God
is part of our culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you
accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you
should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy
with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you
did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not
force it on others.

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining,
and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I
highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE
RIGHT TO LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You
asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American citizens will find the
backbone to start speaking and voting the same truths!!

[USMCVet]

Bump

[USMCVet]

Bump

[IrishMike]

Excellent reading !

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The Algerian "war" was not based on religion--at least on the American side, and even for the Algierians it was simply that since the Americans weren't Muslim, they could be taken advantage of.

It was profit: Great Britain was in the habit of bribing the Barbary Coast pirates so that they wouldn't be attacked. When the United States became independent from Great Britain, this bribe protection was no longer in force for the Americans. Instead of going along with the pirates and bribing them, the United States decided to crush the pirates so that their shipping in the region could have free travel. Money, not religion per se.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Algierians Algerians....

[sgtbono2002]

This story explains why Thomas Jefferson had the Koran that Ellison was sworn in with.

He was studying these Piratical Islamic scumbags who were plundering our ships.

They havent changed a bit. Neither has their Koran. Ellison was sworn in on a piece of evidence Jefferson used to condemn Islam, he certainly wasnt studying it because it was a interetsing to him as a religion. Anyione who studies it with an open mind today will come to the same conclusions as Jefferson. Islam is a murderous cult,that is trying to enslave us and must be fought. That includes Congressman Ellison, he mst be condemned for belonging to such a cult.,even if he does so as one of Farrakhans racist flunkies.

[IrishMike]

He was studying these Piratical Islamic scumbags who were plundering our ships.
.
.
.
A prudent leader as opposed to an accommodating one.

[Redbob]

Does the phrase "Shores of Tripoli" ring any bells?

[bicyclerepair]

I wish our Pres. would grow some of what the Aussies have.

[norraad]

Exactly, modern mussies are weak wussies compared to real Americans who have what real Aussies have.

Our girlyman prezzy allows this conflict for the profit of her pals.

I'm all for profit, but not this way ladies.

Mussy = dog, one day of a real Alpha in their midst, & the would fade to the back of the pack where they belong.

[Sherman Logan]

necessitating an 1816 Anglo-Dutch shelling of Algiers and ultimately the colonization of Algeria in 1830 and Tunisia in 1881 by France and Libya in 1911 by Italy.

Too ludicrous for words. Italy was forced to colonize Libya in 1911 to stop pirate raids?

BTW, the reason America, and most other countries of the time, paid the pirates instead of fighting them is that it was usually a good deal cheaper. Navies are expensive.

[Les_Miserables]

Brains and eggs?

[Red_Devil 232]

Bump

[norraad]

That was then, now we got great stuff to kill them with, and they breed like the roaches they are, so there's too many to pay off.

Besides, paying them encourages bad behavior, killing them encourages good behavior.

It's really not as difficult a problem as our head girl scout cookie salesman makes it out to be.

[Sherman Logan]

Killing them is a great idea.

The only problem is defining the "them" we want to kill, and then locating "them." They are presently hidden among people we don't particularly want to kill.

[popdonnelly]

Curious title for the article. Protecting ships and sailors is hardly colonialism, even in a Marxist's lexicon.

[billbears]

Modern day Americans would do well to consider the lessons of the War with Islamism fought by Thomas Jefferson and again by James Madison and this alternate meaning in Franklin’s final words of warning.

And for the life of me, from what I know about the Barbary Wars do I remember overthrow of a Muslim government by these US with the intent of establishing the 'right' form of government in the early 1800s...Oh wait...

The Algerian ruler almost immediately repudiated the new treaty after the U.S. departure and again began piracy and the enslavement of captured Christian sailors necessitating an 1816 Anglo-Dutch shelling of Algiers and ultimately the colonization of Algeria in 1830 and Tunisia in 1881 by France and Libya in 1911 by Italy.

Damn and all this time I thought the purpose of colonization was to gain unhampered continued access to trade routes, raw materials, etc. Didn't realize it was to 'crush' Islam and bring the 'unwashed' into the land of democracy. Does the author take into account Dutch, Italian, and French interests further into Africa may have precipitated the need for this? Can we assume any British expansion after 1588 was for the same reason then? The Jamestown colonists were just trying to share the brewing of republicanism with the Indians?

[IrishMike]

I thought the title skewed also,
I would have reversed two words.