Hostile Reactions Quotes
The Barbary Pirates had an incredible extortion racket going in the Mediterranean. If nations would pay them an annual sum each year, they would not attack and seize merchant ships of that country and sell the ships and goods while holding the sailors for ransom. American politicians were divided on whether to pay the ransom and an annual tribute or send a military force to try and extract the prisoners and bombard and “punish” the Barbary States for their piracy. While the Americans were debating the problem, Eaton thought that there was contempt for the weakness of America in much of North Africa and the Middle East, and the weakness caused more pirates to join and try and go after American vessels.