The Pirate Coast

I have just recently finished reading "The Pirate Coast", an excellent, lively history of the U.S. involvement in Tripoli during the Barbary War. I wrote a brief article of the events of 1805 for Indepthinfo.com based on the scholarship of this volume. In the course of reading and writing, I found myself comparing events of that day with those of today. Here, again, we have history repeating itself. Yet, there are few mentions of this fact in the press. Perhaps because the results of this particular history are so instructive.

In 1805 we have the United States going to war with a power that sponsors terrorism.  In those days it was called piracy.  The only difference being that in those days the pirates were self-interested enough not to blow themselves up when they attacked their "enemy".  The lesson taught by the history of this time is that negotiation without strength is completely pointless.  It was not until the U.S. demonstrated its resolve that the terrorist state even deigned to negotiate.  Then the peacenik negotiators of the era gave so much to the terrorists in an effort to appease them that the terrorists took the bargain and simply picked up where they left off at a near future date.  It is was not dissimilar to what is going on between Israel and Palestine today, or what happened with Hitler's gaining Checkoslovakia just prior to WWII.  The fact is, appeasement NEVER works.

To finally end the depredations of the Barabary Pirates, the United States had to send in another fleet in 1815 under Stephen Decatur.  This, too, is the only way that we will gain peace with the terrorists.  It will not be by negotiated settlement, but by firm resolve and military might.