Yesterday, Congress overrode President Obama’s veto of the 9/11 Saudi bill, or JASTA (Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act).
Although 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudis, none of the exhaustive investigations conducted after the attacks has shown that the Saudi government bore any responsibility.
The legislation allows victims and families of victims harmed by terrorism on US soil to sue foreign governments which have been found responsible for such attacks.
The president sensibly vetoed the bill because it clearly exposes the United States to litigation where a United States national does something on foreign soil which is not pleasing to the host country. The US military and US diplomats are thus at significant risk overseas.
There are 38 US military bases in Germany.
As a solitary reporter observed, Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.-New York), saying, “I’m so grateful to you because now our citizens can sue the United States any time — that 9/11 bill you pushed so hard for, now you have given up your sovereign immunity.”
The only Senator who was courageous enough to support President Obama’s veto was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who is not seeking re-election. “It’s my good-bye gift to the president,” Reid told associate solitary reporter Johanna Jones.
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