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[Poetic.Injustice]

HUNDREDS of relatives of those killed on September 11 have sued Saudi Arabia, joining many others who have tried to hold the kingdom responsible for the attacks.

Like other recent actions, the lawsuit filed on Monday capitalises on last year's decision by Congress to let victims of such attacks on US soil to sue state sponsors. It seeks unspecified damages.

The personal injury and wrongful death suit, filed in US District Court in Manhattan, portrays Saudi Arabia as an essential player in funding al-Qaeda from start to finish in the attacks on September 11, 2001 that killed nearly 3000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Through several Saudi government-controlled nonprofits — ostensibly raising money for charity — senior Saudi officials and al-Qaeda operatives instead sent millions of dollars through a tangled web of transfer offices and private businesses with al-Qaeda terrorists as final recipients, the lawsuit said according to News Day.

Saudi Arabia used ”state-run" groups to funnel money to the terrorist organisation and directed government employees, including diplomats, to help the 19 hijackers once they landed in the United States, according to the complaint.

Saudi Arabia funded safe houses for the hijackers, supplied them with bogus travel documents, weapons, cash and equipment — ”all of which enabled al-Qaida to conduct the September 11th Attacks," the complaint stated.

”We're finally going to get our day in court," said retired FDNY fire chief James Riches of Brooklyn, who is among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

US law granting foreign nations broad immunity from lawsuits prevented attempts by September 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in New York.

But last year, Congress overwhelmingly passed the ”Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act" permitting such lawsuits to proceed.
Politicians overrode a veto from then-President Barack Obama, who argued that the law would expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries and could anger allies.

http://www.news.com.au/world/north-...s/news-story/e0c1da9bd88a37b342e6c9c79fa912a6

 

[Slayer-33]

Absolutely their right, fuck SA

Fuck tip-toeing around it

 

[darkwing]

who will enforce the ruling?

 

[Blablurn]

Didn't Saudi Arabia threantened the USA not to let them sue?

 

[Dryk]

Is there a statute of limitations on these things or are Syria, Iran, Guatemala, Brazil, and Chile going to sue the US?

 

[YoungFa]

who will enforce the ruling?

Yeah what can the us do? Trade sanctioning SA? Lol

 

[Yoshimitsu126]

I can see how this expose troops and soldiers but...

Why did the US think it was a good idea being allies with Saudia Arabia in the first place?

 

[caliph95]

Can someone tell an ignorant that is totally not me, how will this even work suing a whole country for actions of an extremists. Not saying the SA is not complicit but considering they are not "officially" responsible how will this work.

 

[Truant]

I can see how this expose troops and soldiers but...

Why did the US think it was a good idea being allies with Saudia Arabia in the first place?

Osama told Reagan he could help them defeat the Russians.

 

[Sunster]

I can see how this expose troops and soldiers but...

Why did the US think it was a good idea being allies with Saudia Arabia in the first place?

something something oil something something influence in the ME

 

[Herr Schwarz]

I wonder how large the class action suit from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others will be.

Because my guess is there's a lot more families that have been fucked over by the USA.

I mean that wedding drone strike for one...

America lost two buildings during the entirety of "the war on terror". You look at these places in Iraq,Syria,Afghanistan. It's just a rubble filled fucking wasteland.

 

[Yoshimitsu126]

Osama told Reagan he could help them defeat the Russians.

Wouldn't that be Afghanistan instead of Saudi? Or was he at Saudi at the time. Either way, looks like he got the last laugh. Regarding Russia I mean.

 

[Bill Squabber]

I wonder how large the class action suit from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others will be.

Because my guess is there's a lot more families that have been fucked over by the USA.

I mean that wedding drone strike for one...

America lost two buildings during the entirety of "the war on terror". You look at these places in Iraq,Syria,Afghanistan. It's just a rubble filled fucking wasteland.

Yep, this is a new level of hypocrisy. This is a giant fuck you to anyone that's not American.

 

[Sunster]

I wonder how large the class action suit from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others will be.

Because my guess is there's a lot more families that have been fucked over by the USA.

I mean that wedding drone strike for one...

America lost two buildings during the entirety of "the war on terror". You look at these places in Iraq,Syria,Afghanistan. It's just a rubble filled fucking wasteland.

actually 3 buildings, a parking garage, and a field.

 

[CS_Dan]

I wonder how large the class action suit from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others will be.

Because my guess is there's a lot more families that have been fucked over by the USA.

I mean that wedding drone strike for one...

America lost two buildings during the entirety of "the war on terror". You look at these places in Iraq,Syria,Afghanistan. It's just a rubble filled fucking wasteland.

Yeah. Sounds like Obama had this in mind as well:

Politicians overrode a veto from then-President Barack Obama, who argued that the law would expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries and could anger allies.

 

[PdotMichael]

So long families can sue the USA for drone strikes.

 

[petran79]

actually 3 buildings, a parking garage, and a field.

And a church

 

[Laughing Banana]

What a laughable idea.

 

[Herr Schwarz]

I was just googling some before and after pics of Iraq, Libya etc. Fucking disgusting what we did, and yes we're the bad guys.

 

[Palette Swap]

Why not, as long as there's a measure of reciprocity and everyone can live with the consequences of that reciprocity.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

who will enforce the ruling?

If I recall it isn't coming directly from SA, rather their holdings and such in the United States.
Could be wrong though.

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

Why not, as long as there's a measure of reciprocity and everyone can live with the consequences of that reciprocity.

Except there will be no reciprocity, other countries will not have the power to enforce any court judgements on the US. In other words, this is one sided bullying

 

[Heshinsi]

And a church

And a mosque. A lot of people throwing fit over the so called ground zero mosque, seemed to have suddenly forgotten there was already a mosque closer to the WTC than the one they were complaint about.

 

[PKrockin]

Yeah. Sounds like Obama had this in mind as well:

Politicians overrode a veto from then-President Barack Obama, who argued that the law would expose US companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries and could anger allies.

Not only did they override the veto, after it was passed Republican leaders then blamed Obama for not describing to them what the bill did and why it was a stupid idea.

"Because everyone was aware who the potential beneficiaries were, but nobody focused on the potential downside in terms of our international relationships. And I just think it was a ball dropped," McConnell said. "I wish the President -- and I hate to blame everything on him and I don't -- but it would have been helpful had...we had a discussion about this much earlier than the last week."

The bill passed 97-1 in the senate, so it seems nobody read the bill, Democrat or Republican--or they just didn't want to vote "against 9/11 victims" so close to an election. Either they're fucking idiots or they put themselves before the country, take your pick.

It should also be noted for context that there was a large compensation fund for the families of the 9/11 victims.

Feinberg personally presided over more than 900 of the 1,600 hearings. At the end of the process $7 billion was awarded to 97% of the families; the average payout was $1.8 million.

 

[Jumeira]

So long families can sue the USA for drone strikes.

.

Mid east is worse then ever thanks to US/UK wars.

Hope civilians get the chance to sue back. Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen (recently botched mission killed women and children)

 

[Sorc3r3r]

So long families can sue the USA for drone strikes.

This would be interesting since the drone strikes can be tracked directly to the authors.

Just political fiction...

 

[Xando]

So long families can sue the USA for drone strikes.

Yup. This is going to backfire

 

[Culex]

Didn't Saudi Arabia threantened the USA not to let them sue?

They did in a roundabout way years ago, too. Basically if you enjoy your oil, stay quiet. Shale boom has turned this on it's head though.

 

[metalslimer]

Then the countries of the middle east should sue the US into oblivion.

 

[Officerrob]

Yup. This is going to backfire

Which is why Obama was against it

 

[KarneeKarnay]

I think this absolutely the right thing. They should be able to sue.

As long as the same right is now extended to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yeman, Pakistan and all the other places in the world where civilians have been killed in drone strikes.

It's going to backfire, but I hope the damage is aimed at the governments responsible.

As the specifics of this case. It makes more sense to me for the families to have sued the US Government.

- We know it was powerful figure from Saudi Arabia that were responsible.
- Instead we went after Iraq for a grudge.

The US should have been sued to force them to take action against Saudi Arabia. Instead it got swept under the rug and it works to the US benefit that it was directed at SA instead. That means they get to continue support the SA government with impunity.

 

[AP90]

Yup. This is going to backfire

Which is why Obama was against it

This.
---------------
If others file lawsuits against the US, wonder what the us defense will say...

-tried making world better place
-taking down terrorists
-giving democracy/rights to the countries
-reparations were paid/spent in said countries?

Time will tell.

 

[M3d10n]

Is there a statute of limitations on these things or are Syria, Iran, Guatemala, Brazil, and Chile going to sue the US?

This is one damn deep rabbit hole they are opening.

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

Anyone wanna come up with a list of countries that can justifiably sue The US?

 

[MKIL65]

So long families can sue the USA for drone strikes.

All that needs to be said. US drone strikes have claimed way too many innocent lives.

 

[M3d10n]

Didn't the US mistakenly bomb a hospital full of volunteers a while ago? That'd definitely be grounds for a lawsuit.

 

[Ghost]

Actually kind of sickening that a government would pass the buck on holding state sponsors of terrorism to account to individual citizens who clearly won't achieve anything except waste a whole heap of money on legal fees.

 

[Abounder]

America does get sued for drone strikes/other crimes against humanity, but infamously pays off with secret cash without apology according to this tragic article:

"Yemeni officials later ordered a payment of roughly $55,000 to Waleed and Salem's families. The lawsuit also says the families were given another $100,000 during a meeting at Yemen's National Security Bureau, which a Yemeni official said "had come from the U.S." without providing any further information.

"If the U.S. was willing to pay off my family in secret cash, why can't they simply make a public acknowledgment that my relatives were wrongly killed?" Jaber asked in a statement released by the U.K.-based rights group Reprieve, which is assisting with the case.

"Faisal has not received an apology," said Attorney Cori Crider, referring to her client by his first name. "All he wants is for the U.S. government to own up and say sorry — it is a scandal that he has been forced to turn to the courts for this most basic expression of human decency."

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/6/8/yemeni-drone-strike-victim-sues-us.html

I'm all for these lawsuits. Stop bombing people or at least be accountable for civilian casualties, all these proxy wars do is create more terror and instability. But I suppose it does get tricky when the ally host country actually supports the strikes.

Anyway 9/11 families deserve justice.

 

[Poetic.Injustice]

America does get sued for drone strikes/other crimes against humanity, but infamously pays off with secret cash without apology according to this tragic article:



Anyway I'm all for these lawsuits. Stop bombing people or at least be accountable for civilian casualties, all these proxy wars do is create more terror and instability. But I suppose it does get tricky when the ally host country actually supports the strikes.

9/11 families deserve justice.

A paltry sum of thousands paid in secret while Americans get to sue publicly for millions.

 

[paradise_circus]

Maybe people will understand more why intervening the whole time with brute force is not solving anything.
NGOs should really fund victims sueing the USA and if possible the other nations as well.

 

[Abounder]

A paltry sum of thousands paid while Americans get to sue for millions.

What's even worse according to the victim in the article is no formal apology. But I agree that millions should be in order, hopefully this long fight for the 9/11 families and others will end with justice and set a worthwhile precedent

 

[Drek]

Is there a statute of limitations on these things or are Syria, Iran, Guatemala, Brazil, and Chile going to sue the US?

Vietnam, the mother of all U.S. interventionist fuck-ups.

The last congressional declaration of war by the U.S. was World War II, FYI.

 

[Johndoey]

Which is why Obama was against it

Exactly, doing this is idiotic.

 

[GSG Flash]

Good

I hope they win. SA has gotten away with shit for far too long.

And this would not be setting any new precedent in terms of suing a nation for damages as Iran has been sued by Americans in the past.

 

[ebullientprism]

I wonder how large the class action suit from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and others will be.

Because my guess is there's a lot more families that have been fucked over by the USA.

I mean that wedding drone strike for one...

America lost two buildings during the entirety of "the war on terror". You look at these places in Iraq,Syria,Afghanistan. It's just a rubble filled fucking wasteland.

Brown people. Who cares.

 

[Netherscourge]

Don't hold your breath on sanctions.

Doesn't Donald Trump have businesses in Saudi Arabia? (Not to mention other GoP bastards)

Can't wait to see how he spins this shit.

 

[Heshinsi]

Good

I hope they win. SA has gotten away with shit for far too long.

And this would not be setting any new precedent in terms of suing a nation for damages as Iran has been sued by Americans in the past.

So when does Iran get to sue the US for blowing up a civilian airline of theirs, for giving weapons (including chemical weapons which he used on Iranians and Kurds) and funds to Saddam Hussein when he invaded them, and helping to orchestrate the overthrow of Mossadegh? Hell can Vietnam sue for the continued destruction of human life that's being caused by Agent Orange? Or what about that, "oops" missile strike on that Sudanese pharmaceutical factory in the late 90s. Can the families of the workers sue the US for that as well? Can't wait for the class action lawsuit from the families of the numerous innocent people blown up by drones when they targeted the wrong people. Saudi Arabia is a shitstain beyond measure, but this bill was insanely short sighted. It only works if American honestly believe everything they do is right, even when they mess up.

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

Then the countries of the middle east should sue the US into oblivion.

Real talk.

 

[Nafai1123]

Get ready for the US to get sued by every country they've harmed in any way.

 

[see5harp]

This is so dumb. Sorry 9/11 victims but your surviving families are dumb fucks.