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from the otherwise-we-could-be-both-goose-AND-gander dept.
President Obama plans to veto a bipartisan bill that would create an exception to the sovereign immunity doctrine, allowing victims of state-sponsored terrorism to sue foreign governments:
President Barack Obama will veto a bill that would allow terror victims of the attacks on September 11, 2001, to sue Saudi Arabia, the White House said Monday. "That's still the plan," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said when asked if the President planned to veto the bill. The White House had previously suggested Obama would not sign the bill when it first passed the Senate in May saying it would complicate diplomatic relations. [...] Lawmakers are expected to attempt to override the veto, and if successful, would mark the first time in Obama's presidency.
The bill passed in the House and Senate unanimously.
Also at The New York Times , Reuters.
S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
Previously: Saudi Arabia Threatens to Sell $750 Billion in US Assets If 9/11 Bill Passes
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Chromium_One on Tuesday September 13 2016, @10:52AM
Because despite 15 of the 19 attackers being Saudi nationals[1], the Saudi Arabian government having close ties to Al Qaeda[2], providing funding and other assistance to Al Qaeda[3], and working to protect Al Qaeda[4], the Saudis are still our allies[5]. There will be no censure or any other action taken to jeopardize this relationship[6].
So, sure, we went in and did the nasty on Iraq, resulting in hundreds of thousands dead[7] and millions displaced[8] while going after the wrong target.
This is the perfect way forward. No accountability for anyone involved is desirable, let alone required.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijackers_in_the_September_11_attacks [wikipedia.org]
[2] http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/05/politics/28-pages-saudi-prince-bandar-9-11/index.html [cnn.com]
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/world/middleeast/pre-9-11-ties-haunt-saudis-as-new-accusations-surface.html [nytimes.com]
[3] http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/12/politics/9-11-commission-lehman-saudis-al-qaeda/index.html [cnn.com]
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State-sponsored_terrorism#Saudi_Arabia [wikipedia.org]
[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/us/28-pages-saudi-arabia-september-11.html [nytimes.com]
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia%E2%80%93United_States_relations#Post-9.2F11_relationship [wikipedia.org]
[6] http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/16/politics/saudi-arabia-government-9-11-congress-bill/index.html [cnn.com]
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War [wikipedia.org]
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War#Iraqi_refugees_crisis [wikipedia.org]
When you live in a sick society, everything you do is wrong.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Chromium_One on Tuesday September 13 2016, @11:06AM
[...] wrong target[9].
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddam_Hussein_and_al-Qaeda_link_allegations [wikipedia.org]
When you live in a sick society, everything you do is wrong.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by fustakrakich on Tuesday September 13 2016, @03:45PM
Nooooo! No editing of posted comments, ever! Just do what you did here and post a corrected comment. Preview is your friend. If SN needs any changes at all, it would be "inline" posting to keep the entire thread in view.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 13 2016, @04:00PM
>mod parent disagree
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 13 2016, @04:01PM
oops, I meant off-topic
(Score: 2) by hamsterdan on Tuesday September 13 2016, @04:29PM
Agree 100% on that. Now I'll have to go back to read remaining comments.
(Score: 2) by Yog-Yogguth on Wednesday September 14 2016, @10:14PM
Best suggestion I know of is to open the "reply" in a new tab/window and close it after replying and then refreshing the original window.
Works for me :)
Bite harder Ouroboros, bite! tails.boum.org/ linux USB CD secure desktop IRC *crypt tor (not endorsements (XKeyScore))
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Bot on Tuesday September 13 2016, @07:20PM
I would be surprised if saudis were treated as enemy. 9/11 gave the USA a free pass in the gulf, trillions spent in defense money, internal fascism, spiking oil prices. It's more a case of I scratch your back you scratch mine.
Terror acts are either: done by those already in charge to keep subjects in check, or, done by outsiders, with whatever irrelevant justification, to the effect of making people scared and pleading those already in charge to react. History books are there for your perusal.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Wednesday September 14 2016, @08:35AM
Know what's sadder than that? Clinton and Saudi Arabia absolutely love each other, and she is the one who has been "chosen" to be the next president.