Obama recently claimed, “Islam has been woven into the fabric of America since its founding.” This is both true and false.
It is true in the sense that Islam posed a threat to America’s early existence. The North African Islamic Barbary Pirates proved to be a significant impetus towards uniting a divided colonial delegation to sign the Constitution and strengthen their Navy and Marine Corps.
The early Americans knew full well world history, which meant they were well aware that their new enemy had been invading the West since the 7th Century.
The Barbary Pirates had been attacking the West since the 13th Century and began attacking American ships after the War of Independence. Algerian Dey Muhammad declared war on the United States, creating a catalyst for two separate wars America fought against Tripoli (1801-1805) and Algiers (1815-1816).
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They have been waging war against us since before we were a country.
The Marine Corps got some of their traditions and even part of the Marine Hymn from the Barbary wars. "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli."
The war we waged against the Barbary pirates is where the name leatherneck came from. The heavy leather collar that is evident today in the dress blues saved Marine lives.
The Mameluke sword that Marine officers carry is from the sword presented to Lt. Presley O'Bannon.
Marine Corps history states that a sword of this type was presented to Marine First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon by the Ottoman Empire viceroy, Prince Hamet, on December 8, 1805, during the First Barbary War, as a gesture of respect and praise for the Marines' actions at the Battle of Derne.[3] Upon his return to the United States, the state of Virginiapresented him with a silver-hilted sword featuring an eaglehead hilt and a curved blade modeled after the original Mameluke sword given him by Hamet. Its blade is inscribed with his name and a commemoration of the Battle of Tripoli Harbor.
1 comment:
thanks for the history lesson.
i had no idea.
i guess moslems never give up and may lurk for centuries waiting for a striking opportunity.
that opportunity may be coming into view here in the usa, now that we are about bled out.
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