What, are the French asking for the Marines again? We already cleaned up Europe’s Mediterranean pirate mess one time, now they need us again.
Actually, we, along with other European nations tried to pay them off first. As might be expected, they didn't stay bought.
"Payments in ransom and tribute to the Barbary states amounted to 20% of United States government annual revenues in 1800."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbary_pirates
Time to change modes folks. See below for the Tripoli Monument at the US Naval Academy.
