The Obama Administration is in full press mode attacking the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) ahead of an expected veto. The bill would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia for its involve in the attack, and was unanimously passed in both the House and Senate. It enjoys considerable public support.
Administration officials are presenting it as a “dangerous precedent,” however, with Defense Secretary Ash Carter today insisting he is worried about the risk the bill poses to US troops, a sentiment echoed by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford.
This is a somewhat more specialized version of President Obama’s initial argument against JASTA, that the elimination of sovereign immunity for the Saudis by the bill might provide a precedent for some other nation to do the same with the US over its many, many misdeeds.
Sovereign immunity is the principle under international law that governments, as “sovereign” entities, can by definition do no wrong to individuals, and that individuals thus cannot sue governments unless the government decides in advance to permit it.
Under US law sovereign immunity is broadly accepted, and while in theory state-sponsored terrorism is an exemption, in practice this has only been the case for a handful of countries that the current administration at the time wants to see sued in US courts.
America’s own 9/11 Report, in particular the 28 Pages, detailed involvement by Saudi officials, including members of the royal family, in support provided to 9/11 attackers. While the White House has tried to downplay the report’s contents as inconclusive, their argument still boils down to the idea that America needs to ignore Saudi dalliances with international terror to protect the American government’s many criminals from similar legal repercussions.
President Obama is expected to veto JASTA by Friday, and while the House believes it has enough votes to override the veto, it is unclear if that remains the case in the Senate, where the Saudi government has been heavily lobbying, particularly targeting Democrats loathe to oppose an Obama veto.
Translation: Accountability is a threat to our power. Thus there will be none
just so we have the numbers straight.
Number of New Yorkers killed by terrorism since September eleventh? Zero.
and we have more immigrants than Chicago has people.
Here we get to see who’s who. Who’s establishment, who’s not. Who’s owned by foreign interest, who puts…America first.
if the allegations about saudi involvement in 9/11 are true (seems very plausible) then how is this veto not basically treason ? they will essentially be shielding actors who enabled the 9/11 attacks!
Treason is constitutionally defined (veto of a bill concerning lawsuits doesn’t even come close), and under that definition is only applicable in times of war (which is why each and every US treason prosecution since World War II has been for actions taken DURING World War II).
ok, maybe not treasonous by the strict definition, but Obama will show himself to be a traitor to the American people when he vetoes this bill.
Well, of course — he’s a president, isn’t he? The next one who isn’t an enemy of the American people will be the first in a very, very long time (120 years or so at least — I could make an argument for Grover Cleveland being decent).
Very true, he has shown himself to be a traitor on multiple occasion the last 8 years, but this will be quite a brazen traitorous act, litterally siding with people involved in the 9/11 attacks!
surely both Bush and Obama are/have been in breach of their own terror laws ? i’ve heard of people being arrested because they erroneously sent money to a charity which had links to terror groups, this must supersede that ?… under their own terror laws Obama and Bush should be sitting in Guantanamo bay right now for aiding and abetting terrorists.
That’s extremist insanity and most likely all propelled by racist hate for Obama. He’s not siding with people involved in 911. To begin with, the perps of 911 were not acting in concert with the corrupt Saudi monarchy. They were enemies of that monarchy for christ sake. And besides that, Obama is doing what has become necessary in order to protect his country that has run roughshod over the world and left itself open to lawsuits by everybody and his dog. A little rational thought would be refreshing once in a while wouldn’t it? Start by trying to see beyond the racist hate for Obama maybe.
Yes, the rest of the world knows that your country has a big problem with the black population but you have to accept that the white populartion is responsible for making it that way. Blaming Obama for your problems doesn’t make any sense. He’s not a part of the problem, he’s a part of fixing it.
It’s more likely that any authority Obama has or had, has been stepped over and negated by the corrupt US government. That makes it nearly impossible to show that he had good intentions.
And of course the reason why it’s been allowed to happen is because he’s black.
People like you Thomas who at least strive for a little decency and sanity will have to come to understand that Obama was likely the last real hope to stop your country’s corruption in government. The next one will make it all too obvious. Clinton is one of the worst hawks to ever attempt to make it as pres and Trump has said everything possible, whistling to the ignorant dogs, and has then contradicted it all anyway.
There’s no f—ing hope in your country but MAD will likely continue to save us all for a few more years.
Vote for Johnson or the other also ran and show you care! LOL
Trotting out the old “the people who elected him twice hate him because he’s black” stupidity again, eh, Don?
It’s not any less stupid this time around.
It’s because he’s a black guy and that negates any rational though between the two of you. Not to mention that Thomas has run off the rails in frustration at the whole mess and has slipped into the insanity of the libertarian insane asylum. I expect that if he hasn’t already proclaimed that the martians or the neocons did 911, then it won’t be long until he does!
If we are at war with radical Islam and radical Islam is at war with us; if radical Islam employs terrorism as its war-making technique; if the Saudis are the sponsors of Wahhabi radical Islam, the major source of the radical Islamic terror war, then indeed voting to protect the Saudis who support and promote our enemy should qualify as treason.
If the allegations are true how is redacting those 28 pages not treason? This cuts both ways. Why are you not even interested in that question?
“If the allegations are true how is redacting those 28 pages not treason”
Because treason is applicable only during times of war and Congress hasn’t declared war in more than 70 years.
C’mon Thomas. This is weak. Iraq war 1, the Afghan war, the GWOT, Iraq war 2, the Libyan fiasco, the war on Syria, the war on ISIS (or is that Iraq war 3?), not to mention “Overseas Contingency Operations” from Nigeria to Mindanao; plus two AUMFs, one for Afghanistan and one for Iraq.
Not at war?!
The abdication by Congress of its responsibility to declare is more a part of the problem than a legalism exculpating the treasonous.
“Treason never prospers, what’s the reason? For when treason prospers none dare call it treason.”
Congress has the power to declare war.
If Congress hasn’t declared war, the US is not legally at war.
That cuts in all directions — every exercise of war powers since World War II has been illegal, in the same way and for the same reason that treason is not legally possible.
Just to be clear, I don’t have any truck with the concept of “sovereign immunity.”
America’s own 9/11 Report, in particular the 28 Pages, detailed involvement by Saudi officials, including members of the royal family, in support provided to 9/11 attackers.
—
The real threat is that the Saudi’s will not take too kindly to taking the fall, turn states evidence and throw the real masterminds behind 9/11, who subcontracted the job to them, under the bus.
If you think this ends with the Saudi’s your in for a rude awakening.
It’a alrready ended George. Bin Laden and his terrorists did 911 and only kooks can’t come to accept that. It may have something to do with Americans thinking they are invincible and special or exceptional that leads them into their consipiracy theory bullshit? Who knows? It’s enough to make the rest of the world laugh out loud.
Sep 5, 2016 9/11 Suspects: Rudy Giuliani
Mayor Giuliani oversaw the illegal destruction of the 9/11 crime scene and is criminally liable for the deaths of hundreds of emergency workers for not passing on prior warnings about the collapses of the Twin Towers. It is no wonder, then, that the Fire Department of New York so passionately detest Giuliani for his actions in disgracing their fallen brothers and covering up the 9/11 crime.
https://youtu.be/Cl85JSvDmsA
Sep 11, 2013 9/11 In A Nutshell as James Corbett presents this 5 minute parody of the official conspiracy theory of 9/11
https://youtu.be/vrJiKbK0tVM
September 11, 2013 Twelve Years of War, Lies and Deception
Twelve years after the 9/11 attacks, no credible independent investigation has been done to find out what really happened on that day and who was responsible.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/911-twelve-years-of-war-lies-and-deception/5349347
Just keep treading water imagining all sorts of crazy theories on 911, while the world inches closer to nuclear war led by the US.
It has to be a CIA plan that keeps Americans so well duped that they can’t come to terms with the simple truth that there is no 911 conspiracy theory to discover. Why, even builiding 7 hogwash conspiracy theories fall to pieces by applying simple high school physics!
Don, is that you? Has your suspension been lifted?
Do you love Putin and Trump now, or is it back to room 101?
Yeah it’s me. I’m still suspended from posting on Raimondo’s columns because his ranting apparently needs to be protected. Libertarianism in action ya know.
I’ve always admired Putin because I believe him to be an honest and strong leader of Russia who can’t be fooled by the US. And ya know, I still think that there is great danger in Trump becoming your pres but the danger of Clinton is probably equal. It’s a crapshoot IMO but I still have confidence that MAD will continue to save the world from US led nuclear war for a few more years yet.
Don’t feed the trolls. Use Disqus’ “block user” feature.
And Clinton openly admitted in late 1996 that he owed his re-election to the OKC bombing.
https://allthingsvice.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/tin_foil_hat.gif
Hey – 9/11 was just one of the USG bombings – Oklahoma was another one that was ” Whitewashed” !
You just have to be some kind of braindead wannabe southern rebel racist living in the Ozarks Garry. Sensible and sane people just don’t act and talk the way you do. Aren’t you just a little bit ashamed to be acting the way you are?
Go back to your Government cubical – I played your game in Nam and you are are sorry aso treasonist.
There is no hope until after Obama when the recism will not be a factor. Until then Americans are not even able to think about world politics rationally. But unfortunately, then after Obama the Trump wildcard could come into play and that means a lying psychopath will be given authority. This could very likely be the factor that ends the MAD deterrent that has saved the world from US led nuclear war.
“,,,men who wil kill you and justify it because it’s the law.” Chales Bukowski, . A more than tacit admission by Carter that ‘mericer, its politicians, global capitalists, and military personnel are committing and or are responsible for bestial, illegal, and immoral acts in foreign countries and against foreign peoples. Don’t let them shield themselves behind some bullshit sovereign immunity concept created by those in power for those in power.
Yes, because Giuliani couldn’t have POSSIBLY expected that the World Trade Center would be the target of an attack. After all, that had never happened before. Oh, except right around the time he was elected. Oops.
Right! Giuliani planned the attack when he got elected. Jesuz Thomas, if you’ve lost it too now then what’s the point of this site?
No doubt about it though. The conspiracy theories you support says a lot about the libertarians and their agendas! Gotta be martians and if not then Obama did it with CIA help. No fu–in wonder Trump has a chance to be your new pres! The whole country has lost their minds!
And I’m the one with the tinfoil hat??
No, I am not suggesting that Giuliani was part of a conspiracy to conduct 9/11, and you know damn well I wasn’t suggesting any such thing (unless you’re an idiot, which admittedly seems to be a strong possibility).
I just pointed out that he had 8 years notice that the World Trade Center was a prime target. It was attacked just as he was coming into officer for his first term. One of the weaknesses identified in the followup report on the first incident was that first responders needed radios that operated on common frequencies so they could talk to each other. He fucked around for eight years pretending to be about to get those radios Real Soon Now, but never did, leading directly to the deaths of several hundred cops and firement on 9/11.
As far as racism is concerned, you’re talking out your ass from a country that’s nearly 90% white and less than 2% black. Do something about that and then maybe you’ll be qualified to criticize others over racism.