We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
Our forgotten first war against Islamic terrorists
Most Americans seem to have forgotten our first war against Muslims.
In the late 18th century, our objection to Islamist practice was their piracy and slaving against our ships and sailors in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 1794, provoked by Algerian captures of American ships, our Congress authorized construction of the first six ships of the U.S. Navy, including the U.S.S. Constitution, still in commissioned service and now docked in Boston.
In 1795, our diplomats negotiated treaties with the Muslim states of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli to pay them tribute for the privilege of free passage.
But in 1801, the Pasha of Tripoli, citing late payments of tribute, demanded additional money and declared war on the United States. The United States Marines defeated the Pasha’ forces with a combined naval and land assault. That short foreign conflict is remembered in the Marines’ Hymn in the words “to the shores of Tripoli.”
Earlier, in 1786, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson -- two prominent Founders of our country -- were in London seeking agreements with Muslim states on the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea. On March 28th they wrote a letter to John Jay, then the American Secretary for Foreign Affairs, reporting on their difficulties:
…We had a conference with the Ambassador of Tripoli, at his House.
The amount of all the information we can obtain from him was that a perpetual peace was in all respects the most advisable, because a temporary treaty would leave room for increasing demands upon every renewal of it, and a stipulation for annual payments would be liable to failures of performance which would renew the war, repeat the negotiations and continually augment the claims of his nation and the difference of expence would by no means be adequate to the inconvenience, since 12,500 Guineas to his Constituents with 10 pr. Cent upon that sum for himself, must be paid if the treaty was made for only one year.
That 30,000 Guineas for his Employers and £3,000 for himself were the lowest terms upon which a perpetual peace could be made and that this must be paid in Cash on the delivery of the treaty signed by his sovereign, that no kind of Merchandizes could be accepted.
That Tunis would treat upon the same terms, but he could not answer for Algiers or Morocco.
Then the Americans asked the Muslim diplomat what justified his country’s seizures of ships and making slaves of their crew or passengers. The answer given by the Ambassador of Tripoli in 1786 was consistent with the 1988 Covenant of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on the right of Muslims to wage war on those who professed a different faith:
The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners, and that every Musselman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise.
That it was a law that the first who boarded an Enemy’s Vessell should have one slave, more than his share with the rest, which operated as an incentive to the most desperate Valour and Enterprise, that it was the Practice of their Corsairs to bear down upon a ship, for each sailor to take a dagger in each hand and another in his mouth, and leap on board, which so terrified their Enemies that very few ever stood against them, that he verily believed the Devil assisted his Countrymen, for they were almost always successful.
Ukrainian forces have begun training and testing exoskeletons for battlefield use. Soldiers from the 147th Separate Artillery Brigade are using them in the Pokrovsk sector for both logistics and frontline operations. The goal is to reduce physical strain, especially when loading heavy artillery shells into howitzers without automatic loaders. Artillery crews can handle up to 1200 kg of ammunition per day, and early tests show that exoskeletons help them work faster and with less fatigue Above all, by improving the conditions for those soldiers on the front lines who handle such heavy loads, plus the stress of work. Seeking to reduce overall fatigue in the troops
🌆 Market News Digest
April 6, 2026 EST
🔥 Top Stories
• Trump warns Iran of imminent destruction of bridges & power plants by Tuesday midnight — escalating tensions with potential for severe infrastructure strikes.
• Oil prices rise as Trump deadline nears; US crude settles at $112.41/bbl — geopolitical uncertainty boosts energy markets.
• US stocks gain amid optimism over Iran ceasefire; S&P up 0.41% — markets react to diplomatic signals and oil price stability.
• IMF warns prolonged Middle East war will slow global growth & boost inflation — economic outlook darkens with conflict escalation.
• Trump claims Iran is at its weakest; threatens to decimate Iranian infrastructure — aggressive stance amid ongoing negotiations.
⛽ Oil & Energy
• US crude at $112.41/bbl, Brent at $109.77/bbl — energy markets volatile on Iran conflict fears.
• US considers charging tolls in Strait of Hormuz; free passage part of Iran deal — strategic move to control shipping lanes.
• ...
🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱 - WAR IN IRAN | APRIL 5th, DAY 37 RECAP:
🇺🇸🇮🇷 - The NYT reports that during the operation in Iran, two U.S. transport aircraft intended to carry the airmen were disabled and abandoned, then blown up. Two MC-130J Combat King II rescue aircraft and four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters were deliberately destroyed by U.S. forces during the search and rescue mission in Iran, according to ABC News, citing U.S. officials.
🇮🇷🇦🇪 - Several fires have broken out at Abu Dhabi’s Borouge petrochemicals factory, with damage currently being assessed following an Iranian missile and drone attack. This comes less than 24 hours after Israel struck Iran’s largest petrochemical facility.
🇮🇷🇮🇱 - An Iranian ballistic missile impacted the Neot Hovav industrial zone near Beersheba in the first wave, the third time this industrial zone has been hit during the war.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 - "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. ...
F15E SHOOTDOWN AND CSAR OPERATION — FULL VERIFIED BREAKDOWN
APRIL 3 — THE SHOOTDOWN
F15E from the 494th Fighter Squadron out of RAF Lakenheath is hit over southwestern Iran.
Crash site confirmed in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province near Dehdasht.
Wreckage includes ACES II ejection seat and tail section matching the squadron.
Cause
Iran claims it used a new IRGC air defense system.
Exact weapon system remains unconfirmed.
HOUR 0
Both crew eject.
Pilot activates survival radio and PRD immediately.
Contact established with U.S. aircraft overhead.
Pilot recovered within hours.
WSO lands separately in mountainous terrain.
WSO beacon briefly detected by satellites, then goes silent.
Reason unknown.
HOURS 1 TO 12
WSO begins evasion using SERE training.
Maintains intermittent encrypted communication with U.S. forces.
IRGC launches large scale search operation.
Iranian state TV urges civilians to report or capture the pilot.
Rewards up to $60,000 reported.
Public messaging includes calls to shoot on sight.
HOURS 12 TO 24
WSO moves into high ...
