Yo Ho, Yo Ho: Piracy and the Jihad

What comes to mind when you hear the word "pirates?" Buried treasure? Talking parrots? Barrels of rum? Johnny Depp? Over the past decade, swashbuckling fantasy has been challenged by brutal reality as a new generation of pirates take to the high seas. The Horn of Africa seems to play host to many of these brigands, who take advantage of the chaotic political situation and nearby sea lanes. The United States Navy SEALs' famous takedown of a crew of Somali pirates who had seized the Maersk Alabama in 2009 brought public attention to this phenomenon like never before. The more recent rescues of Iranian ships by the United States Navy and Coast Guard have reminded us that this threat has not gone away (but does, apparently, have a sense of irony). But there is a deeper story here than just desperate young men seeking fortune in a lawless region. Piracy has long been a popular means of engaging in the jihad as well as financing Islamic empires.

Raiding has been a central part of Islamic expansion since its inception. After fleeing to Medina, Mohammed built up his fortune and gave his followers military experience by raiding caravans belonging to the Meccans who had chased him out of his birthplace. These quick hit-and-run attacks were the perfect method of military engagement for several reasons. First, Mohammed never had to risk losing his entire army in a pitched battle. Second, every caravan that was ransacked meant that the wealth of his enemies would be transferred directly to him. Third, the constant harassment maintained a state of fear among his enemies so that when he entered Mecca in conquest he experienced little resistance.

As Islam spread, so did the raids. The trade routes of the Byzantine and Persian Empires were terrorized by this new force from the desert. When Islamic forces first reached the Mediterranean Sea, the caliphs were initially hesitant to take to the water in significant numbers. That soon changed, however, and Islamic raids spread rapidly to North Africa, Southern Europe, and even to the gates of Rome itself. Every strike was lightning fast, with the ships of the Caliphate avoiding pitched battles whenever possible. While the Norsemen have gained mythic status for their assaults in Northern Europe, most of what was then the civilized world lived more in fear of ships bearing the warriors of Allah, not Odin.

Islamic domination of the Mediterranean lasted for the better part of a thousand years, but it did not go unchallenged. This issue was so important to Christendom that it became the primary focus of the Knights Hospitaller following the loss of the Holy Land. The fabled military order established bases on several of the larger Mediterranean islands and patrolled the seas in search of Islamic pirates, or corsairs, as they were called. As I referenced in my three-part series "Slavery and Islam," these corsairs would target Christian ships not only to steal cargo but also to kidnap experienced sailors to man the ships of the Caliphate, which at the time was centered in the Ottoman Empire. As time went on, the efforts of groups like the Knights Hospitaller combined with advancing technology and tactics began to shift the balance of power. After the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, Ottoman control of the Mediterranean was all but shattered, although they maintained a strong presence.

But that did not end the threat of Islamic piracy. Corsairs made their home along the Barbary Coast with the blessing of the local rulers (in exchange for a sizable portion of the loot). As the European powers began to create worldwide empires, they were constantly harassed by these corsairs. Things became so bad that any nation that wanted to operate near the African coast had to pay a significant tribute to convince the corsairs to search for other targets. Finally, the fledgling United States said, "Screw this," and engaged in the first war Americans ever fought on foreign soil to end the threat once and for all. For a more in-depth look on that subject, see my previous article, "What Would Jefferson Do?"

Fast-forward to today. Islamic countries like Somalia and Yemen produce many of the most notorious pirate gangs that patrol the seas. The waters of the Gulf of Aden are among the most dangerous in the world. And, just like the corsairs of old, the new generation of pirates provide plenty of revenue for the population of these countries. The money from Somali pirates has been hard at work paying for new mosques, expanding villages, and even radio stations. Modern "experts" are dumbfounded that the Somali pirates have not built luxury palaces for themselves, but an honest look at the history of the Barbary corsairs would have predicted this exact scenario. It goes beyond the fact that these pirates happen to be Muslims and links directly to the raids of Mohammed hundreds of years ago.

This "new" piracy has no buried treasure, no talking parrots, no Johnny Depp (and certainly no rum!). This is jihad on the high seas, pure and simple, a forgotten part of our past rising from Davy Jones' locker to haunt us once more. We would do well to remember that.

Post-poned

I apologize for being a few days behind schedule. My work schedule has been more crowded than I had anticipated and as a result this blog has suffered. Rest assured that a new post will be out tomorrow. Also, I will definitely have another post up on Friday afternoon to avoid a repeat of this week's mishap. Thank you for your continued support of this blog, and be sure to spread the word.

Happy New Year!

I apologize for the delay, but I have been on vacation. As we ring in the new year, I wanted to bring up some issues that I think will be of major importance in 2012.

Iran
Iran is just a smorgasbord of craziness. Tehran just announced that they have produced their first nuclear fuel rod. If this is accurate, the Iranian nuclear program is farther along than most experts believed. As politicians in America, Europe, and Israel debate exactly what they plan to do to prevent Iran from obtaining a stockpile of nuclear weapons, such developments certainly indicate that the last chance to act may be quickly approaching.

Aside from Iran's nuclear ambitions, recent activity in the Strait of Hormuz has many analysts concerned. The strait is a vital choke point for a large portion of the world's oil supply and is an easy pressure point for the Iranians to target. Iran's recent war games may be preparation to retailate against American aligned shipping in the event of a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. Of course, that has the potential to spark a wider conflict between Iran and the Arab Gulf countries who would be most severely impacted by such a move.

Syria
The brewing civil war is spinning out of control. Bashar Assad's regime is cracking down on protesters with alarming violence, but Ghaddafi proved how ineffective that tactic can be. Monitors from a number of international organizations have come back with horror stories about the brutality. I anticipate that things will continue to detiriorate in Syria until the international community will step in to try to contain the mess. Now, that may be NATO or it may be a neighboring country like Turkey trying to prove their capabilities to the rest of the world. The Arab League has already taken a major role in monitoring the situation and could take a more active role in the near future.

Isolationism
This aspect can be found a little closer to home (to us in America, at least). As the rest of the world faces severe problems ranging from civil unrest to open war, there will be an increasing number of voices in the more stable areas of the world ("stable" being a relative term) who want to withdraw into a protective shell. Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul has experienced a boon lately in the polls, largely due to Paul's position on economics and opposition to expanding government. With the Presidential election taking up such a major portion of media attention this year, you can bet that the idea of isolationism will be brought further into the eye of the public. As the American military tries to catch its breath after prolonged conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the idea of abandoning the position of "world's policeman" will become increasingly popular. In a sense, too many people in America are growing tired of the responsibilities that come with being the world's only true superpower. What that means in terms of policy and election results is still anyone's guess.

These are only a few of the big issues that I think will dominate the headlines in the coming year. Of course, the future is unpredictable, and this year may be crazier than usual. Stay tuned here at The New Knighthood as the year unfolds. As usual, if you have any suggestions or concerns you can let me know in the Comments section below (click on the article if you are reading this on the main page).

Return of the Jizya

Islamic culture is based upon a strict series of rules that govern virtually every aspect of a devout Muslim's life. Unfortunately, when there is a non-Muslim minority in a country dominated by Sharia they must also live under its guidelines or face severe penalties. I have already discussed this topic in my previous post "Better Dead than Dhimmi" but now I want to discuss a very specific aspect of dhimmitude: the jizya. The jizya is a poll tax levied against any "protected" people, or dhimmis. The jizya is what America's Founding Fathers would have called "taxation without representation;" that is, those who pay this tax are not allowed an active voice in how that money is spent. It is extortion plain and simple that serves two purposes: it funnels wealth from the productive class of farmers and craftsmen to a consumer class of soldiers and bureaucrats while serving as a constant reminder to Jews, Christians, and Hindus (among select others) of their inferiority. This tax was established to break any possible spirit to resist Islamic occupation among conquered (and unconverted) peoples as well as deny them the funds and resources to put up a fight.

Since the glorious events of the Arab Spring, there has been extensive talk about the establishment of a new Caliphate (discussed in the previous post "Keys to the Caliphate"). Sharia-based governments are springing (no pun intended) up all over the Middle East. Naturally, with the world economy the way it is right now, some very influential Muslim scholars have called for the official return of the jizya to help cover costs. Nowhere is this talk more rampant than Egypt. Egypt's Coptic population has been a target of violence and discrimination for decades, but the heat has really been turned up in the months since Mubarak's exit. Recent testimony to the United States House of Representatives by Cynthia Farahat has provided insight as to why the Copts have been so persecuted: "The large and educated minority of Copts in Egypt is the biggest obstacle for Islamists to turn Egypt into another Iran or another Saudi Arabia." Such a large, educated minority of non-believers is the perfect target for repressive taxes designed to transfer wealth toward the least productive elements of Islamic societies.

Ahmed Imran of Egypt's Salafi "Party of Light" said, "I say to those who fear we might govern, that it was the Muslims who liberated the Copts from Roman slaughter and that Copts are obligated to pay the jizya, and it will only be half a dinar, taken from the rich and given to the poor." Wow, somebody's been watching re-runs of old Robin Hood movies, haven't they? If you were listening to that speech, you could be forgiven for mistaking the position of the "Party of Light" with the position of the Occupy Wall Street crowd. Actually, there really isn't a mistake: it's the same position. Socialists, Communists, and Islamists all want someone else to pick up the tab for their lifestyles. This is one reason that they all work well together despite what may seem like irreconcilable differences (the whole "Religion is the opiate of the masses" thing doesn't mesh well with Islamic fervor). Once the actual productive members of society are either exterminated or dominated, the various "-ism" groups will fight for power. But that is the subject of another article for another day.

The words of Koran 9:29 may sum it up best: "Fight those who believe not in Allah or the Last Day...until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." The purpose of targeted economic pressure is to express dominance, whether over dhimmis or the German Jews of the 1930s. That is why the Founding Fathers chose the issue of taxation as the hill that they were willing to die on. They understood that the ability of a free man to control his destiny is inexorably linked to his ability to control his wealth. When a portion of that wealth is claimed by someone who has not earned it, whether a government bureaucrat or an Islamic invader, you lose a portion of your self-determination.

Back in Action

For those of you who didn't notice last week's post, my temporary break has come to an end. I will be changing my posting schedule so that new posts will be up every weekend instead of specifically Fridays. This will allow me a bit more leeway. The alternating Mondays poll schedule will not change. Look for a full post tomorrow. It's good to be back.

Iran: The Coming Conflict

For over three decades, the Iranian regime has been a major player among the world's bad guys. Granted, at the time of the Iranian Revolution most of the world was still overwhelmingly concerned with a little spat called the Cold War, but we should have been paying attention to the long-term. Iran waged a brutal war with Iraq (hard to know who to root for in that one) and became the key supporter for terrorist groups in the region and beyond. But in the 21st century, the Iranians have upped the ante by seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. While the majority of the speculation focuses on a genocide against Israel (and not without reason), none of the Sunni-majority nations are eager to see the Iranians gain such devastating capabilities. There is a sort of dreadful certainty among anyone paying attention to these events that we are rapidly approaching a point of no return, although what that point looks like and what it will mean are still unclear.

While the world may seem on the brink of war, in some ways the fighting has already started. The Iranians have spent decades playing in the shadows, and their games are starting to get serious. Iranian intelligence services are engaging in an information blitz, trying to dominate the intelligence game in the region from the very start of any conflict. The Iranians have also been working on electronic warfare, which could reduce the advantage of technically superior Israeli or American forces. The Iranians have already hacked the so-called "virtual embassy" set up by the American State Department, and they claim to have taken control of a RQ-170 drone that appears to have crashed in Iran. The Iranians are also growing increasingly fearful of conflict, particularly because of the destabilization of Syria, a key Iranian ally. The Iranian regime has also been heavily invested in a propaganda campaign in the Middle East, and especially in the Arabian Peninsula. But perhaps the most disturbing move made by the Iranian regime has been the recent string of targeted assassinations against Saudi diplomats.

While we watch the Iranians carefully, we must not forget about their proxy groups such as Hezbollah. In fact, one deterrent against an Israeli strike on Iran has been the threat of retribution by Hezbollah forces. The terror group has acquired thousands of rockets, including a large delivery from Syria, and have them aimed at every square inch of Israeli territory. That is a reality Israelis have be forced to deal with for years. Any military action against Iran will likely spark a new war between Israel and the Hezbollah-led Lebanon, with the possibility that Syria may join the fighting (if their troops are not too busy butchering their own people).

As bad as things look at the moment, Israel and the United States (if we get some real leadership in Washington, D.C.) will have unexpected allies against Iranian aggression. The Saudis, who are getting pretty peeved about the whole "assassinations" thing, are one group that we can be reasonably sure will support any action that will eliminate their primary threat in the region. Saudi Arabia is still the powerhouse of the Middle East and does not want to surrender that title to some wacky Persians (and Shias, to boot!). They have even been strengthening their ties to Pakistan (who is also uncomfortably close to Iran and does not want to be stuck between a nuclear Iran and a nuclear India) in the hopes of acquiring a few nuclear weapons of their own as a deterrent to Iranian aggression. The Turkish government has also expressed serious concerns about Iran. Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan said rather pointedly, "We cannot tolerate Iran having a nuclear weapon." However, he didn't go so far as to say, "We'll even support those yucky Jews if we have to."

Yet there may be a path that does not require open warfare and the devastation it will inevitably produce on an already reeling world economy. The major Western powers need to get serious about supporting the Iranian resistance (and, while we're at it, the resistance in Syria, as well). The Iranian regime appears strong, but it is brittle. I have already written about some of the internal vulnerability in my previous post "Modern Janissaries: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps." The Ayhotollahs need to keep their people in fear of the outside so that they will not rise up against them. We need to challenge that. For one thing, Christian evangelism efforts must be stepped up and openly supported by the West. Christianity is spreading quickly in Iran, and recent crackdowns have been a direct result of that surge in popularity. Another problem facing the regime is the widespread series of strikes. The regime has, like all other totalitarian systems, ruined much of the country's economic sector and now is facing some of the consequences. Opposition forces in Iran are better organized than the regime would like to admit, and are believed to be responsible for a series of attacks against Revolutionary Guard bases, refineries, and pipelines.

Whatever we may be doing, the Iranians are certainly getting ready for war. The Revolutionary Guard has been ordered to operational readiness status. The Iranians are alert. The question now is, "Are we?"

Short Break

Unfortunately, due to the demands of an outside project I will have to temporarily postpone new blog posts for the next month or so. In the case of breaking news stories or other important events I will put up new posts as I can. There will also continue to be new polls every other Monday, so keep visiting. I will do my best to keep this break as short as possible. Thank you for your patience.