In the heat of the political season and at the anniversary of America;s greatest terrorist disaster, President Obama has a dilemma. Congress wants to pass legislation favoring 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. Courts. The Republican-led Congress supports the legislation. Saudi's have lobbied hard against it.
To this analyst, the decision is clear. The Constitutional law-trained President should let the matter be decided in the Courts. Therefore, he should agree with Congress.
The Saudi Government and royal family were intimately engaged in supporting al-Qaeda and the attack on America. If it were not for America's dependency on oil, the U.S. would probably have bombed the daylight from the regime. As it stands, the Saudis are customers of U.S. supplied weapons. They are pivotal in subduing violence in the region. Therefore, to maintain the balance of power, the U.S. government cuts deals with frenemies such as the Saudis.
This situation highlights what presidential candidates need to address, and that is the foreign policy with gray-world nations. Throughout the Middle East, Russia, and China, the U.S. and free world allies seek peaceful coexistence. The trouble is that just containing and avoiding problems won't work because the subject gray-world nations are engaged in global trade where they are expected to respect the rule of law. Their rules and standards are different and in conflict with the U.S. Where there is friction, there can be fire as in war.
"Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports the bill, as does Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is expected to lead Senate Democrats in the next Congress."
The HillThe President needs to stand down.
"Obama’s huge Saudi 9/11 dilemma
By Jordan Fabian and Katie Bo Williams - 09/09/16 06:00 AM EDT
President Obama is facing a dilemma over legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts.
The House is expected to vote overwhelmingly in favor of the legislation on Friday. The Senate has already passed the same legislation unanimously.
Obama has fiercely opposed the bill, arguing it could both strain relations with Saudi Arabia, and also lead to retaliatory legislation overseas against U.S. citizens. The Saudi government has led a quiet campaign in Washington to kill the legislation.
Those efforts have been fruitless in Congress, however.
The legislation has broad support from both parties, and Congress could override an Obama veto for the first time if he rejects the legislation.
Such an outcome would undoubtedly embarrass Obama and divide Democrats ahead of the 2016 elections and a crucial lame-duck session of Congress.
Friday’s vote is heavy with symbolism; it will take place on the eve of the 15th anniversary of September 11 terrorist attacks.
If the House vote is as resounding as expected, supporters hope, coupled with the unanimous passage of the Senate version in May, the White House may reconsider its concerns.
“I think the pressure is the vote,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), an original backer of the bill and one of its 29 Democratic cosponsors.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are unsure whether Obama will actually use his veto pen on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.
“I presume they would have to think very carefully about a veto because it might very well be overridden,” said Nadler.
To override the president, supporters would need a two-thirds majority in each chamber.
“I think the votes will be there to override it,” said Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), who introduced the bill in the House.
The White House is clearly aware of the dicey political waters in which it is sitting.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton supports the bill, as does Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who is expected to lead Senate Democrats in the next Congress."
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/295082-obamas-huge-saudi-9-11-dilemma
See the evidence here:
http://documents.nytimes.com/evidence-of-financial-links-between-saudi-royal-family-and-al-qaeda
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