The Treaty of Tripoli

[onager]

7. I got another one!

4) We only signed the Treaty of Tripoli to free our hostages held by the pirates.

To which I might reply, cogently and academically, as a former Marine* to a hypothetical Xian patriot who used that one:

"Hey shit-for-brains! Since you're one of them flag-waving 'merican Xians, have you ever heard the motherfricking Marines' Hymn?

How does that one go again? 'From the Halls of Montezuma to...' What, exactly? Yes! The no-goddam 'shores of Tripoli!' Just like President Barack Obama, President Thomas Jefferson didn't negotiate with hostage-taking terrorists. He sent the U.S. Marines to Tripoli to kick their asses..."

In better language with more facts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War

*There are no "ex-Marines." Only former Marines and dead Marines.

Here's a very good, long and detailed history of the Treaty:

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Treaty_with_Tripoli_(1796)

(On edit, more fun trivia: to this very day, Marine commissioned officers carry the "Mameluke Sword." It's a copy of the sword surrendered to Marine Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon in Tripoli.)