Politics
A day after U.S. Congress voted to override President Barack Obama’s veto of a bill allowing American families to sue Saudi Arabian officials for the September 11 terrorist attacks, the kingdom’s foreign ministry expressed “great concern” over the move, adding that the decision will have a negative impact on all nations, including America. The statement by Saudi Arabia mirrored Obama’s view that the law sets a “dangerous precedent” by exposing U.S. service agencies to lawsuits for their work in various countries.
Amid Saudi condemnation, the Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell admitted that the legislators failed to properly understand the consequences of the law, adding that the lawmakers intend to reconsider the legislation, writes the BBC. McConnell acknowledged that the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism (J.A.S.T.A.) legislation potentially strains America’s international relationships.
Without outlining any specific retaliatory measure, Saudi Arabia, which is an important U.S. ally in the Middle East, called on Congress to reverse the decision. Saudi Arabia's Gulf allies have rallied with the kingdom in condemning the new U.S. law, reports Al Jazeera. The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which is dominated by Saudi Arabia, also expressed concerned over the law, which apparently erodes sovereign immunity of other nations.
