| Once again I am amazed by the accuracy of the | | | | combat, let us arise to the challenge and not cower |
| Word of God, which states: "The last shall be first | | | | to Muslim militants threats and violence. Islam is |
| and the first shall be last" (Luke 13:30). | | | | intolerant and violent because spiritually it is impotent. |
| The "Barbary Powers Conflict" began shortly after | | | | Christ Jesus came to establish His kingdom in the |
| the Revolutionary War and continued through the | | | | hearts of men, not to war for a political earthly |
| Presidencies of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and | | | | kingdom. Nevertheless when necessary we must |
| Madison.1 The Muslim Barbary Powers (Tunis, | | | | defend ourselves against hostile intruders and |
| Morocco, Algiers, Tripoli, and Turkey) were warring | | | | murderous Muslims who also misuse and distort their |
| against what they claimed to be the "Christian" | | | | own religion as did the Roman Catholics during the |
| nations (England, France, Spain, Denmark, and the | | | | Dark Ages for Christians. |
| United States). In 1801, Tripoli declared war against | | | | Truly there is nothing new under the sun, as once |
| the United States,2 thus constituting America's first | | | | again history is repeating itself as we approach the |
| official war as an established independent nation. | | | | beginning of the end. |
| Interestingly enough our first war as a nation was | | | | FOOTNOTES: |
| against Islamic militants. Two-hundred years later we | | | | Special thanks to David Barton, Wallbuilders, for this |
| are facing the same enemy. Thankfully this time our | | | | outstanding documentation. |
| military might is prepared and ready. Let us however | | | | 1.Naval Documents Related to the United States |
| learn from history lest we repeat it. | | | | Wars with the Barbary Powers, Claude A. Swanson, |
| Throughout this long conflict, the five Barbary | | | | editor (Washington: Government Printing Office, |
| Powers regularly attacked undefended American | | | | 1939), Vol. I, p. V. |
| merchant ships. Not only were their cargoes easy | | | | 2. Glen Tucker,Dawn Like Thunder: The Barbary |
| prey but the Barbary Powers were also capturing | | | | Wars and the Birth of the U. S. Navy (Indianapolis: |
| and enslaving "Christian" seamen3 in retaliation for | | | | Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1963), p. 127. |
| what had been done to them by the "Christians" of | | | | 3. A General View of the Rise, Progress, and Brilliant |
| previous centuries (e.g., the Crusades and Ferdinand | | | | Achievements of the American Navy, Down to the |
| and Isabella's expulsion of Muslims from Granada4). | | | | Present Time(Brooklyn, 1828), pp. 70-71. |
| I apologize to Muslims for past human rights abuses | | | | 4. Tucker, p. 50. |
| committed against them by "Christians" who were | | | | 5. President Washington selected Col. David |
| not acting Christ-like but were most likely serving the | | | | Humphreys in 1793 as sole commissioner of Algerian |
| imperialistic Roman church which was heretical. It was | | | | affairs to negotiate treaties with Algeria, Tripoli and |
| the Roman church that brought about the Dark Ages | | | | Tunis. He also appointed Joseph Donaldson, Jr., as |
| because the Bible was not translated into the | | | | Consul to Tunis and Tripoli. In February of 1796, |
| language of the common man. Hence spiritual | | | | Humphreys delegated power to Donaldson and/or |
| ignorance and darkness reigned, as did religious rulers | | | | Joel Barlow to form treaties. James Simpson, U. S. |
| who were without the Holy Spirit to reveal the heart | | | | Consul to Gibraltar, was dispatched to renew the |
| of Christ to them. | | | | treaty with Morocco in 1795. On October 8, 1796, |
| In an attempt to secure a release of captured | | | | Barlow commissioned Richard O'Brien to negotiate the |
| seamen and a guarantee of unmolested shipping in | | | | treaty of peace with Tripoli. See, for example, Ray |
| the Mediterranean, President Washington dispatched | | | | W. Irwin, The Diplomatic Relations of the United |
| envoys to negotiate treaties with the Barbary | | | | States with the Barbary Powers (Chapel Hill: The |
| nations.5(Concurrently, he encouraged the | | | | University of North Carolina Press, 1931), p. 84. |
| construction of American naval warships6 to defend | | | | 6. J. Fenimore Cooper,The History of the Navy of |
| the shipping and confront the Barbary "pirates"--a | | | | the United States of America (Philadelphia: Thomas, |
| plan not seriously pursued until President John Adams | | | | Cowperthwait & Co., 1847), pp. 123-124; see |
| created a separate Department of the Navy in 1798.) | | | | also A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of |
| Let us this time when facing Islamic enemies not act | | | | the Presidents: 1789-1897, James D. Richardson, |
| inhumanely as did the Roman church. Jesus exhorted | | | | editor (Washington, D. C.: Published by Authority of |
| us to love and pray for our enemies. This affords our | | | | Congress, 1899), Vol. I, pp. 201-202, from |
| enemies an opportunity to repent, reform, and be | | | | Washington's Eighth Annual Address of December 7, |
| reconciled. On the other hand, in regard for military | | | | 1796. |