In the early days of our Nation, John Adams at first didn’t want to build up our Navy after the Revolutionary War. When Thomas Jefferson was elected to replace Adams, the nations of Europe and the United States were becoming more and more subject to the pirates of the Barbary coast.

When merchants wanted to sail through the Mediterranean Sea they were charged a bounty by the Barbary Pirates in order to pass Tripoli and other ports without being attacked. The Barbary Pirates were actually Muslims trying to extort benefits for not destroying the ships together with their cargoes. Most nations went along with this blackmail. It was just easier than fighting.

Thomas Jefferson, however, could not endure the thought of needing to award a payoff to the pirates just so merchants could do business. He said enough of that. He increased the Navy, both with ships and men, and sent them to remove the threat.

What happened next is sometimes called “Jefferson’s War.” The American Navy was led by heroic officers and sailors, who took the war to the Barbary Pirates. The pirate ships were sunk, the towns that harbored the pirates were destroyed, and the war was eventually won. This war gave rise to our Marine Corps, and their hymn which includes the words “. . . to the shores or Tripoli” in honor of what they accomplished.

No bounty was paid to the pirates. The Muslim threat receded and was never again a threat—until now. It appears that Jefferson didn’t quite finish that war. Now it’s creeping through Northern Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe and into the United States.

The terrorists from Isil or Alqueda or other like tribes, are nothing more than Barbary pirates. It’s just that they’ve become more accomplished terrorists! They need to be swept away again. Perhaps they need to be eradicated completely.

Where is Thomas Jefferson when you need him?