Day 8, February 2

Thomas Jefferson was a true visionary when it came to foreseeing future events as America faced Islamist threats.  He knew that, if left unchecked, extremists would subject their world view on everyone.  His concern was not only for the loss of revenue if American trade were hindered/ he was also deeply concerned with human rights.

Muslim terror was not confined to the high seas.  It extended to the land as well.  The taking of slaves in pre-dawn raids on unsuspecting coastal villages had a high casualty rate. It was typical of Muslim raiders to kill off as many of the "non-Muslim" older men and women as possible so the preferred "booty" of only young women and children could be collected.

(Note:  the following is not for the squeamish.  Feel free to skip it.) 

Young non-Muslim women were targeted because of their value as concubines in Islamic markets. Islamic law provides for the sexual interests of Muslim men by allowing them to take as many as four wives at one time and to have as many concubines as their fortunes allow.

Boys, as young as nine or ten years old, were often mutilated to create eunuchs who would bring higher prices in the slave markets of the Middle East. Muslim slave traders created "eunuch stations" along major African slave routes so the necessary surgery could be performed. It was estimated that only a small number of the boys subjected to the mutilation survived after the surgery

Such practices were abhorrent to Jefferson..