Obama set to veto anti-Saudi bill

European states voice opposition to bill, warn it would go against spirit of international law

President Barack Obama is poised to veto legislation exposing Saudi Arabia to court action over the 9/11 attacks, stepping in to defend legal precedent and an ally.

White House officials said Obama would reject the ‘Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act’ by a veto deadline that ends today.

The administration is worried that the bill — passed unanimously by Congress — would undermine state immunity, setting a dangerous legal precedent.

Obama’s aides tried and failed to have the legislation substantially revised, and now face the prospect of Republicans and Democrats joining forces to override the presidential veto, a relatively rare rebuke of White House power.

The White House is getting some backing from diplomatic allies who share concerns about the United States becoming a venue for citizens to sue governments. In a diplomatic protest note obtained by AFP, the European Union warned that 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.”

In a letter to lawmakers, former secretary of defence William Cohen, former 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 that the legislation would hurt US interests. “Our troops, our diplomats and all US government personnel working overseas could very well find themselves subject to lawsuits in other countries,” they said.

“Our national security interests, our capacity to fight terrorism and our leadership role in the world would be put in serious jeopardy.”

Congressional insiders insist that they have the votes needed to override a veto, in what would be a significant blow for the White House in the final months of Obama’s presidency.