To the Shores of Tripoli, Summer 2004

From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli” the opening line from the U.S. Marine Corps Hymn, refers to the armed action President Thomas Jefferson took in the early 19th century against the Muslim corsairs of the Barbary Coast of North Africa, which eventually resulted in the construction of the first permanent U.S. Navy. In our age, maritime terrorism has emerged as a formidable threat in the world, targeting both civilian and naval vessels in NATO’s area of operations. The threat is compounded by the use of maritime vessels and shipping lanes by criminals who are often in league with terrorists. With the possibility that weapons of mass destruction could be used as a terrorist weapon, efforts to pre-empt such attacks which could cause mass civilian casualties has become a top NATO priority, making it necessary for the alliance to expand its maritime frontier. As the stakes are raised, NATO must innovate in order to counter the new maritime threats...Please click here to read the text in full.