[muawiyah]

The Barbaray Pirates were substantially independent of the authority of the Port, and the combat with Tripoli really wasn't all that big a deal. In the end Jefferson paid off the Tripolitanians to keep them out of the hair of Amerian ships going to and from Turkey (among other places).

WWI did find the US and Turkey on opposite sides. This was not so much the fault of the Turks as it was Woorow Wilson. We should have early on come to some sort of accommodation with the Germans to protect our neutrality. Instead Wilson allowed the UK to load wargoods on passenger ships in New York harbor.

We have subsequently patched things up with the Turks.

[Destro]

Your second statement was right which makes proves your earlier statement The Turks are just about our oldest allies in this world. was historical nonsense.