Pirate Coast by Richard Zacks

Just finished another book called the Pirate Coast by Richard Zacks. This is a true story of the first Marines and William Eaton, which I have to believe can be considered to be the very first Marine of our country, and his war on the pirates of the Barbery coast.

These bandits had been attacking commercial shipping along the coast off Tunisia and Libya. Tripoli was a small Kingdom along the coast that was a center for the pirates as well as other areas of the Mediterranean. The only way to stop them from attacking and taking the crews and cargos was to pay Tribute. All nations, including the United States, did this but didn't like it in the least.

But it was the easiest way to stop the pirates from taking your ships and enslaving the crews on which you had to pay ransom to get them back anyway. But something happened in 1804 that started William Eaton on his epic journey across the desert to attack Tripoli in 1805 which changed William Eaton and our foreign policy for ever.

The United States sent the frigate Philadelphia to the Mediterranean to try and bring some order to this area, but to the captains dismay it ran around outside the harbor. Well, in short the crew was taken prisoner and enslaved for over year.

President Thomas Jefferson wanted that to end this tragedy but he didn't want the United States to get involved in war in that area. So he sent Eaton as a special agent to try and effect a solution to the problem that would be below the radar, so to speak. Jefferson was an isolationist and believed that all things can be negotiated.

Eaton was a very aggressive former Marine Captain that was a 'can do' type A person, so with eight other marines and several hundred mercenaries and tribesmen, marched across the desert, nearly died doing it, attacked the city of Derian, close to Tripoli, and won against great odds. This scattered the enemy and when word got back to Tripoli, everyone got very nervous.

Jefferson sent a diplomat to Tripoli to negotiate a treaty to resolve the pirate problem and get back the crew of the Philadelphia. What happened during the negotiations and after is very intriguing to anyone that finds the workings of our early government appealing. Also you will find that not too much has changed in how government works or how politicians can find the smallest reason to be self serving, even Thomas Jefferson.

Eaton loves country and honor above all. I found his sprite and candor so refreshing even when all else was failing him. I highly recommend this book. It is superbly written and just a joy to read.

My next book is the Unholy Alliance by David Horowitz - It's about how radical Islam and the American left are working together to defeat America. This book tries to answer one of my most troubling questions; why do so many people that live in this country, and have everything, want to destroy the very foundation of their existence. Why are they are actively trying to destroy this country? I hope I find some answers.