islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Islamic Jihadnavy destroyed the fleets of reigning Dey Omar Pasha, filled his grand harbor with heavily armed Americanships and took hundreds prisoner. Dey Omar capitulated and reluctantly accepted the treaty dictated byDecatur, which called for an exchange of U.S. and Algerian prisoners and an end to the practice of tribute andransom. Having defeated Algiers—the most powerful Barbary State, Decatur sailed to Tunis and Tripoli, anddictated the signing of similar treaties. Decatur also secured the release of all European captives from PashaQaramanli’s dungeons in Tripoli. President Madison’s words on this occasion—‘‘It is a settled policy ofAmerica, that as peace is better than war, war is better than tribute; the United States, while they wish forwar with no nation, will buy peace with none’’—inaugurated a new U.S. foreign policy paradigm. 928The British-led European strike-backThe United States settled her accounts with the Barbary States in 1815: the year, all European nations jointlydeclared a ban on slave-trade. But the depredation of European ships continued. The U.S. derring-do actionsin Barbary North Africa (1801–05, 1815) had elicited calls for similar actions in Europe, particularly inBritain. When the crown heads and ministers of Europe gathered for the Congress of Vienna in 1814 todiscuss a peace treaty following the end of the Napoleonic war, Sir Sydney Smith, a staunch proponent ofmilitary settlement of the Barbary piracy crisis, petitioned for a military showdown with the rulers of NorthAfrica. ‘‘This shameful slavery is not only revolting to humanity, but it fetters commerce in the mostdisastrous manner,’’ he told the Congress.Sir Smith’s plea drew attention to a dehumanizing and commercially crippling problem that hadlasted centuries. Britain pushed for the inclusion of a ban on slave-trade in the European treaty. The ViennaCongress passed a resolution condemning all forms of slavery, but took no steps against the Barbary States.However, the support for Sir Smith’s battle-cry for military actions was soon forthcoming from all cornersEurope; they had all suffered terribly from this obnoxious enemy. They were taking cues and encouragementfrom the U.S. success in Algiers a few months earlier. Because Britain was not as bad a sufferer, whointermittently concluded truce and secured release of English captives, other nations criticized Britain for‘turning a blind eye to the ravages of the corsairs, since Britain stood to benefit whenever her trading rivalswere attacked.’ 929Stricken by the criticism, Britain, a proponent for the abolition of black slavery, now resolved to endthe white slavery as well. In 1815, the British government dispatched a large fleet, commanded by Sir EdwardPellow, to the North African coastal waters, aiming to compel the rulers of Barbary States to abstain fromseizing ships and slaves from anywhere in Europe. The British government resolved against the payment oftributes, stating: ‘‘If force must be resorted to, we have the consolation of knowing that we fight in the sacredcause of humanity.’’ 930Having arrived with an impressive fleet in the waters off Algiers in late 1815, Sir Pellow sent anuncompromising message to Omar Pasha demanding his unconditional surrender within one hour, release ofall European slaves and abandonment of capturing European ships and slaves forever. After the earlier U.S.attacks, Omar Pasha had fortified his defences and recruited battle-hardened soldiers to ward off likelyEuropean attacks. When no response from him came, Sir Pellow declared war. The British fleet was bolsteredby a squadron of six Dutch vessels. The battle began with heavy bombardment of Algiers destroying the cityto rubbles. The forces of Omar Pasha showed stiff resistance and counterattacked, causing significant damageand casualties to the British side. Having reduced the city to rubbles, Sir Pellow directed his attention to thefleet of corsair ships docked in the harbor firebombing and shelling them, which set them all in flames. By the928. Hitchens, op cit929. Milton, p. 272930. Ibid263