The possibility of holding the Saudi Arabian government liable for the role of its officials in the 9/11 attacks in New York City is looking remote today, with the White House press secretary Josh Earnest openly saying he can’t imagine a scenario in which President Obama doesn’t veto the measure.
The bill, authored by Sens. John Cornyn (R – TX) and Chuck Schumer (D – NY), is called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, and allows terror victims to sue governments of nations that have provided financial support to al-Qaeda. This conspicuously includes Saudi Arabia.
It is widely believed that the “secret” 28 pages of the 9/11 report detail Saudi involvement in funding the attack, and for years the Saudi government’s involvement has been a poorly kept secret. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, however, has threatened major economic repercussions.
Multiple reports have Jubeir threatening to have the Saudi government sell as much as $750 billion in US assets, including Treasury securities and other financial securities on the world market, a move that would potentially have disastrous effects on the US dollar and the American economy in general.
Earnest appeared to concede as much, saying that taxpayers would be at risk if Obama didn’t veto the bill that would authorize the lawsuit. This, however, would be ultimately an acknowledgement that the Saudi government is untouchable, and that efforts to keep the Saudi involvement in 9/11 a secret ultimately is to avoid embarrassing US officials who believe they can’t do anything about it.
He’s got what, a few more months in office? A traitor till the very end.
Are you talking bad about our CORRUPT YELLOW Uncle Tom?
If the American people are so stupid as to elect the Wall Street-MIC-AIPAC Crown Princess, HRH Hillary, you’ll look back with nostalgia on the Obama days.
Saudi involvement in funding the attack…
The hapless, worthless, corporate media told (us) masses
in the USG that Iraq’s (evil) dictator Saddam Hussein was
behind the attacks. This crap was also parroted by the idiot
Dubya, who couldn’t find his backside with both hands.
9/11 was an inside job concocted by the neocons, CIA, and the
Military Industrial Complex – with help from Prince Bandar Bush.
Inside job? You are part if the kook wing of this country. To people like you, everything is a conspiracy.
“Truther-ism”: The persistent and incurable mental disease.
9/11 WAS NOT THE WORK OF ARAB HIJACKERS. Saudis may have been involved in funding the attacks or as patsies. The attacks were likely planned and executed by rogue elements within the US and Israel. For details and likely conspirators read my letter to President Obama and click on the links — http://www.twf.org/News/Y2012/0815-Obama.pdf
I suspect the Israelis knew about the attack plan when it was in progress, and “chaperoned” it with the Israeli “art students” espionage mission. But that’s as far as I will go on the 911 conspiracy biz.
Involvement of “US rogue elements”? I think not. Not even the worst of the Ziocons would go there. They could never keep their involvement secret.
My position is stated in the link provided — http://www.twf.org/News/Y2012/0815-Evidence.pdf, and in the FREE BOOK “9/11 Unveiled” — http://www.twf.org/Library/911Unveiled.pdf
Re “rogue elements” I used the word “likely.”
If the Saudis had no damning involvement, they would welcome the opportunity to clear the air by publishing the ’28 pages’. Instead, they threaten to damage us economically if we air the pages- proving they have plenty to fear. I say go ahead and put it all out there and let the chips fall where they may. If Saudi Arabia wants to play hardball, we can do that too and go next door and buy Iranian oil instead of Saudi oil. If they want things to get messy, we can play that game, too.
Only 15 of the 19 were from Saudi Arabia, Nothing here to see folks move it along. Like when everyone wanted the Bush administration charged. Our Uncle Tom tell us we are moving on. Showed either he was a COWARD or BETTER yet, was BOUGHT & PAID FOR!
Try to understand John, the Saudis don’t want to be demonized by gullible Americans for that which they aren’t responsible. Americans seem to be incapable of separating some “Saudis” who took part in bringing down the twin towers from the country of Saudi Arabia and the government of that country. The two are entirely different but when Americans are tuned into even accepting the drivel that comes out of Trump’s mouth, they have to be protected from innuendo and rumour that is perped by the media for profit.
Yes, I know the Saudi monarchy is evil but keep in mind they are the US’s evil friends and they have no reason to do the WTC and that kind of stuff. That was the work of those who “oppose” the Saudi monarchy and are not their friends. Making any sense so far?
Yes John, the WTC was brought down by a few Saudis and others who were seeking revenge for what the US did and was doing in their country and in the ME. I know the US military is invincible but it’s not that invincible that it can stop people with box cutters. And certainly not the next time, if there is one, when they may have dirty bombs or even real nukes.
You see John, that’s the purpose of antiwar.com. To stop the US now before it’s too late.
luv from Canada.
You’re quite right; it wasn’t the Saudi government itself that carried out the attacks. HOWEVER, the Saudis wouldn’t be so skittish if there weren’t evidence of some pretty high-level involvement in the 9/11 attacks, whether through actual hands-on assistance or backdoor funding of the operation by whomever. Either way, if there were nothing to it they wouldn’t be threatening what amounts to an economic Pearl Harbor directed toward us. I get it- it’s politics- but if there’s nothing to charge them with then why not open the files and see what’s what?
What you’re asking is a pretty tall order for Joe the Plumber, though, and the Saudis know it. One the one hand we have the mass media demonizing all muslims because ‘everybody knows they’re all working for ISIS’ or some such claptrap- but in this case you’re asking Joe to forget all that and recognize oh, it’s wasn’t all the Saudis, just some of them. The Saudis know how badly the US has been propagandized and they’re afraid they’ll get whacked for it, whether they deserve it or not.
As for people seeking revenge on the US (and/or other offending nations), here’s a novel thought: how about we stop whatever we’re doing over there that gets them to the point where they want to attack us?
Jason, a few points —
This bill is just an extension of the 2012 bill that permitted suits against Iran for so-called “terrorist acts.” (The one under which a judge just granted the plaintiffs $10B because Iran supposedly caused 9-11.) It now extends that principle to suits against ALL countries, not just Saudi Arabia. And it is not limited to alleged Al Qaeda support, but any act that results in the death of an USAian. And it is not even limited to alleged acts, but even alleged omissions to act would be enough if the judge is in the right mood and the country is on the current bad guys list.
Despite the Saudis support for terrorism, the rest of the world could never allow us. There is a good reason that international law does not allow a judge in one country to rule on the acts of a separate country.
The fact that Chuck Shumer is sponsor should alert you that the main target of this bill is not really Saudi Arabia at all.
Good move on Obama’s part. It’s all frivolous conspiracy theory crap anyway. Not to laud any praise on the corrupt Saudi government but the perps on 911 were enemies of the Saudi government. Osama’s followers obviously.
But that aside, the most troubling part of this article is that Jason is unknowingly promoting more hate against other countries in the MS. Maybe the reason is that Americans will never accept that a few uneducated terrorists with box cutters were so easily able to bring down America’s symbol of business as usual. Hence, even Jason is creating some new boogeymen.
Rrriiight. Can I interest you in a bridge I have to sell, because Obama isn’t worried about the 28 pages from the 9/11 commission getting out & the recent 60 Minutes segment on this was just bad journalism? The main thing people need to remember is the Supreme Court no less, already decided on this in 2014 & gave the families of 9/11 victims the right to file a civil suit against the Saudi gov, nonprofits & rich individuals, by not overturning an Appellate Court decision. My concern is the Fed gov trying to use this as a way to override that decision.
Update: Unfortunately the families couldn’t prove their case & on 9/29/15
the case was dismissed. But if the 28 pages from the 9/11 Commission are
released, the gag against Commissioners would also dissolve & the case could be reopened. The families couldn’t prove Saudi charities were acting in the US, which the law they were using required.
You see Jason, if there is a move on now to demonize the Saudis then you have just been a part in promoting it. I know you don’t mean to do that but you have to be careful what you feed these idiots like EME. Now it’s turning into an inside job by the neocons!
Don G.
With all respect, you’re an ‘idiot’ if you believe uneducated ‘terrorists’
wielding box cutters could breech the airspace of the financial capital of the planet, and the hub of US military power.
It might interest you to know that at least six of the so-called uneducated ‘terrorists’ are still alive, including Salem Al-Hamzi, who the FBI claimed performed a 270 degree turn at 500 MPH and slammed his 767 into the Pentagon.
Al-Hamzi insisted he had never been to the United States, and had
not been out of Saudi Arabia in two years prior to 9/11.
It’s not my intention to ‘demonize’ anyone; I just don’t believe a
damn thing from the establishment.
Surprise, surprise! The man who bowed to the Saudi King is now going to keep his Muslim friends from being held accountable for their misdeeds. With Obama, U.S. interests always come last.
Idiots. Saudis were the patsies. The false flag job was Kosher and anyone with a functioning adult brain has known that for over a decade.