Washington (IINA) – American President Barack Obama vetoed late on Friday legislation allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, risking public outrage and the first Congressional override of his presidency.
Obama said the 9/11 bill could limit cooperation from foreign allies on counterterrorism and other national security issues. Earlier, the White House confirmed that Obama would veto the legislation. “We believe this is a bad bill,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. “It’s why the president’s going to veto it.” The White House was getting some backing from diplomatic allies who share concerns about the US becoming a venue for citizens to sue governments.
The European Union warned the rules would be “in conflict with fundamental principles of international law.” “State immunity is a central pillar of the international legal order,” the “demarche” noted, adding that other countries could take “reciprocal action.”
Ex-secretary of defense William Cohen, ex-CIA boss Michael Morell and Stephen Hadley, George W. Bush’s national security adviser were among a group of high profile security figures to warn the legislation would hurt US interests. “Our national security interests, our capacity to fight terrorism and our leadership role in the world would be put in serious jeopardy,” they said.
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