White House: Not in Saudi interest to destabilize global economy over 9/11 bill
The White House expressed confidence on Monday Saudi Arabia would not follow through on a reported threat to sell US assets if Congress passed a bill that could hold the kingdom responsible for any role in al Qaeda’s Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
The New York Times reported on Friday Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al- Jubeir told US lawmakers the country would be forced to sell up to $750 billion in Treasury securities and other US assets in response to the bill if it passed.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Obama did not support the legislation and would not sign it. The bill would allow the Saudi government to be sued in a US court for any role in the Sept. 11 attacks.
“I’m confident that the Saudis recognize, just as much as we do, our shared interest in preserving the stability of the global financial system,” Earnest told reporters.
Obama, who is traveling to Saudi Arabia later this week, said he opposes the bill because it could expose the United States to lawsuits from citizens of other countries.
“If we open up the possibility that individuals in the United States can routinely start suing other governments, then we are also opening up the United States to being continually sued by individuals in other countries,” Obama said in an interview broadcast on CBS
News on Monday. Most of the 19 attackers on Sept. 11, 2001 were Saudi nationals who hijacked four planes and flew them into New York City’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington and into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers revolted.
The attack was mounted by the al Qaeda militant group, then based in Afghanistan. No US investigation to date has reported finding evidence of Saudi government support for the attacks.
The debate over the congressional legislation has gained traction on the US presidential campaign trail. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, has broken with the Democratic administration and said she supported the bill.
Her rival, US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, said he shared the Obama administration’s concern the legislation could open up the United States to liability from other countries but said it was important to look into any potential Saudi role in the attacks.
“I think it’s important to have a full investigation and an understanding of the role, the possible role, of the Saudi government in 9/11,” he said on NBC’s “Today” program.