Preventative.

This is coolbert:

Here is an instance of military force from history that has a surprising modern relevancy? Relevant even more so when considering the recent visit of President Obama to Africa and the obligatory visit to the Senegalese Atlantic port of Goree'.

An instance the use of military force that can be and perhaps even is being used as a precedent for the global war on terror [GWOT]?

That blockade of the African coast line by the Royal Navy. A blockade occurring during the Nineteenth Century.

The West African Squadron. Also called the Preventative Squadron.

A blockade long lasting [for decades] for the purpose of bringing a halt to the African Slave Trade.
For many decades this blockade exclusively the domain of the Royal Navy.

American warships participating at a later date, gunboats as defined at the time the vessel of choice for the onerous and difficult duty.

An effort at sea to stop the African slave trade taken unilaterally and without precedent, the legality of which was questionable?

And we must be clear about what we are talking about here.

NOT an end to slavery as such. This blockade solely for preventing the importation of slaves to the New World [western hemisphere]. The Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

NOR even an end either to the Arabic slave trade, the blockade concentrating on the Atlantic coast of Africa, that number of warships as deployed in the anti-slavery effort quite small indeed. But nonetheless effective.

That Atlantic coast line of Africa quite long but only a few ports and facilities as used at the time for the exportation of slaves needing to be blockaded

It is interesting that the British when a blockade runner captured with a cargo of slaves, that ship [the blockade runner] captured and impressed into service with the Royal Navy. An effort the blockade almost self-sufficient in itself! Such a ship was the Black Joke!

It is worth noting that less than 5 % of those slaves taken out of Africa and sent to the New World over a period of centuries ended up in what was British North America, those thirteen colonies that became the United States. The Spanish colonies and the Portuguese colony of Brazil continuing to import black African slaves long after the practice was discontinued by the British and Americans.

Terrorists it has been suggested being referred to as hostis humani generis . Enemies of all mankind. In the same category as pirates, war criminals, perpetrators of crimes against humanity, torturers and slavers.  All and any means can be used and will be used to apprehend or bring to bay the villains with justice being the order of the day, legalities and precedent not often established by consensus agreement!

Again, too, that anti-slavery effort and blockade long lasting for decades, pursued with a diligence that is admirable. NO ONE ever said such matters are ever easy!

coolbert.