> the pirates were essentially sponsored by the Arab rulers of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, including Ottomans (turks, NATO allies?). Yes... But it was ottoman (turks) who were above/federating the "rulers of Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli". They "Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli" were semi autonomous "provinces" under the ottoman leadership essentially