Barbary Pirates
- Thread starter GreatScottMarty
- Start date
Not sure that it is possible. During the 1790s, it was cheaper for the Federal Government to simply pay off the pirates than to build and maintain a standing navy; which was precisely what happened. It was not until the pirates kept demanding higher pay-offs that it became cheaper to build a standing navy and sick the Marines on them; which was what happened.
You could have the Barbary Pirates be more greedy and demand more tribute from the US earlier. Then Congress gets fed up earlier and attacks the pirates earlier. Or you could just have the pirates figure that it's more profitable to take US ships than leave them alone for tribute. Then the US will declare war no matter what. The main reason OTL that the wars happened was because the tribute kept going up.
I was under the impression that the tribute amounted to something like 15% of GDP. No small tribute, I don't know how that would relate to naval costs but I can imagine that outfitting a force is much cheaper than paying 15% of GDP to a foreign power. Once Federal debt is under control I can't believe that the Govt. would stand for it.
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
Depends if an American force can win this time around or earn the aid of their ally Morocco.
Morocco? what have they got to do with it? is that were the deposed Sultan went to after his brother threw him out? In the 1790s is he still in charge in Derna (OTL Tunis)?
Weren't they a Barbary State or at least allied to them?
Yes they were my bad. I thought you meant they were a US ally. AFAIK the raid and occupation of Derna pretty much wrecked the Barbary states and that was really the only thing the US had to do. One and done if you will. Is there more to it than that?
Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
That's it although that would be awfully uninteresting. Perhaps a bit more action by the US? Maybe European powers lending a hand (and ending up taking over the areas for themselves?)
although it means more in the larger scheme of things, it will probably be that boring as far as my TL is concerned. thanks for the info.
Not related to this TL, but for some reason, your font size is tiny. It's hard to read. I'd suggest you try figuring out what the problem is and fix it.