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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: jimmy olsen on March 03, 2012, 03:43:10 AM

Title: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: jimmy olsen on March 03, 2012, 03:43:10 AM
Que CountdeMoney in 1...2...3

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/01/us/graham-and-kerrey-see-possible-saudi-9-11-link.html?_r=2

QuoteSaudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: February 29, 2012

WASHINGTON — For more than a decade, questions have lingered about the possible role of the Saudi government in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, even as the royal kingdom has made itself a crucial counterterrorism partner in the eyes of American diplomats.

Now, in sworn statements that seem likely to reignite the debate, two former senators who were privy to top secret information on the Saudis' activities say they believe that the Saudi government might have played a direct role in the terrorist attacks.

"I am convinced that there was a direct line between at least some of the terrorists who carried out the September 11th attacks and the government of Saudi Arabia," former Senator Bob Graham, Democrat of Florida, said in an affidavit filed as part of a lawsuit brought against the Saudi government and dozens of institutions in the country by families of Sept. 11 victims and others. Mr. Graham led a joint 2002 Congressional inquiry into the attacks.

His former Senate colleague, Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, a Democrat who served on the separate 9/11 Commission, said in a sworn affidavit of his own in the case that "significant questions remain unanswered" about the role of Saudi institutions. "Evidence relating to the plausible involvement of possible Saudi government agents in the September 11th attacks has never been fully pursued," Mr. Kerrey said.

Their affidavits, which were filed on Friday and have not previously been disclosed, are part of a multibillion-dollar lawsuit that has wound its way through federal courts since 2002. An appellate court, reversing an earlier decision, said in November that foreign nations were not immune to lawsuits under certain terrorism claims, clearing the way for parts of the Saudi case to be reheard in United States District Court in Manhattan.

Lawyers for the Saudis, who have already moved to have the affidavits thrown out of court, declined to comment on the assertions by Mr. Graham and Mr. Kerrey. "The case is in active litigation, and I can't say anything," said Michael K. Kellogg, a Washington lawyer for the Saudis.

Officials at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, who have emphatically denied any connection to the attacks in the past, did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment.

The Saudis are seeking to have the case dismissed in part because they say American inquiries — including those in which Mr. Graham and Mr. Kerrey took part — have essentially exonerated them. A recent court filing by the Saudis prominently cited the 9/11 Commission's "exhaustive" final report, which "found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi individuals funded" Al Qaeda.

But Mr. Kerrey and Mr. Graham said that the findings should not be seen as an exoneration and that many important questions about the Saudis' role had never been fully examined, partly because their panels simply did not have the time or resources given their wider scope.

Terry Strada of New Vernon, N.J., whose husband died in the World Trade Center, said it was "so absurd that it's laughable" for the Saudis to claim that the federal inquiries had exonerated them.

Unanswered questions include the work of a number of Saudi-sponsored charities with financial links to Al Qaeda, as well as the role of a Saudi citizen living in San Diego at the time of the attacks, Omar al-Bayoumi, who had ties to two of the hijackers and to Saudi officials, Mr. Graham said in his affidavit.

Still, Washington has continued to stand behind Saudi Arabia publicly, with the Justice Department joining the kingdom in trying to have the lawsuits thrown out of court on the grounds that the Saudis are protected by international immunity.

State Department officials did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday on the impact of the court declarations.

The senators' assertions "might inject some temporary strain or awkwardness at a diplomatic level," said Kenneth L. Wainstein, a senior national security official in the George W. Bush administration. Even so, he said, "the United States and the Saudis have developed strong counterterrorism cooperation over the last decade, and that relationship will not be undermined."
A version of this article appeared in print on March 1, 2012, on page A19 of the New York edition with the headline: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied To 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say.

Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2012, 03:45:33 AM
Cue, English Teacher.  A stage actor waits for his cue.  In England people form in queues to receive their pudding and boiled beef rations.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: jimmy olsen on March 03, 2012, 03:49:35 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2012, 03:45:33 AM
Cue, English Teacher.  A stage actor waits for his cue.  In England people form in queues to receive their pudding and boiled beef rations.
In my town, my pronouncements on English are law. :contract:

In Korea a Sunsengnim is never wrong, I am a native speaker with Master's in Ed, TEFL and US Teaching certification. I am like an English language god to these people.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Martinus on March 03, 2012, 03:53:01 AM
Que? Are you fucking kidding me?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 03, 2012, 03:56:06 AM
Que chingados?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Caliga on March 03, 2012, 06:33:05 AM
Que the hell pasa, hombre!
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Syt on March 03, 2012, 06:38:35 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2012, 03:45:33 AM
Cue, English Teacher.  A stage actor waits for his cue.  In England people form in queues to receive their pudding and boiled beef rations.

Que?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Martinus on March 03, 2012, 06:39:55 AM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giantbomb.com%2Fuploads%2F9%2F90186%2F1973297-manuel_que.jpg&hash=62d8bbe8aa30f37d75182e149abe36377fa1ea7d)
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Caliga on March 03, 2012, 06:43:27 AM
I don't normally beat up Tim too much over this stuff, but really Tim?  Aren't you half Puerto Rican?  :P
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: HisMajestyBOB on March 03, 2012, 06:48:19 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 03, 2012, 03:49:35 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2012, 03:45:33 AM
Cue, English Teacher.  A stage actor waits for his cue.  In England people form in queues to receive their pudding and boiled beef rations.
In my town, my pronouncements on English are law. :contract:

In Korea a Sunsengnim is never wrong, I am a native speaker with Master's in Ed, TEFL and US Teaching certification. I am like an English language god to these people.

Seonsaengnim.
Or sŏnsaengnim in the old-style Romanization.

:P
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: 11B4V on March 03, 2012, 07:01:38 AM
Well then, I guess we need to bomb and invade Saudi Arabia then...... :huh:. Ah thats right we're already there. We invaded in '91 and those towel heads didnt even know. :P
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: The Brain on March 03, 2012, 07:06:54 AM
Que? WTF
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: 11B4V on March 03, 2012, 07:13:26 AM
Quote from: The Brain on March 03, 2012, 07:06:54 AM
Que? WTF

Que ball, que stick....naw doesnt work either.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Viking on March 03, 2012, 07:34:20 AM
Quote from: Caliga on March 03, 2012, 06:43:27 AM
I don't normally beat up Tim too much over this stuff, but really Tim?  Aren't you half Puerto Rican?  :P

He's teaching for the Chicano TOEFL, not the normal one.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Maximus on March 03, 2012, 09:03:48 AM
Quote from: 11B4V on March 03, 2012, 07:01:38 AM
Well then, I guess we need to bomb and invade Saudi Arabia then...... :huh:. Ah thats right we're already there. We invaded in '91 and those towel heads didnt even know. :P
Now for the bombing.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Tamas on March 03, 2012, 09:35:20 AM
Que? Que?


I want an english-teaching job in Korea as well, dammit.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Capetan Mihali on March 03, 2012, 11:22:06 AM
Quote from: Tamas on March 03, 2012, 09:35:20 AM
I want an english-teaching job in Korea as well, dammit.

*Que joke about teaching Koreans to harvest beets in 3..2..1..*
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: fhdz on March 03, 2012, 11:46:52 AM
 :lol:
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 12:34:38 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 03, 2012, 03:49:35 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on March 03, 2012, 03:45:33 AM
Cue, English Teacher.  A stage actor waits for his cue.  In England people form in queues to receive their pudding and boiled beef rations.
In my town, my pronouncements on English are law. :contract:

In Korea a Sunsengnim is never wrong, I am a native speaker with Master's in Ed, TEFL and US Teaching certification. I am like an English language god to these people.

I wonder if there was a similar problem in Japan back in the 1980's and that's why all the translations for my Nintendo games sucked. 

"A winner is you!"
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: DontSayBanana on March 03, 2012, 12:40:08 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 12:34:38 PM
I wonder if there was a similar problem in Japan back in the 1980's and that's why all the translations for my Nintendo games sucked. 

"A winner is you!"

Opposite problem.  A lot of the worst translations didn't rely on a native speaker at all.  "A winner is you!" is grammatically correct, it's just awkward ("Someone sent up us the bomb!" isn't, however).
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: The Brain on March 03, 2012, 12:56:17 PM
I recently read a book about medieval castles written by some continental illustrator (the drawings were awesome, castle porn) but apparently he wrote the text himself. The language was very peculiar (but not necessarily technically wrong).
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Crazy_Ivan80 on March 03, 2012, 02:07:57 PM
Quote from: 11B4V on March 03, 2012, 07:13:26 AM
Quote from: The Brain on March 03, 2012, 07:06:54 AM
Que? WTF

Que ball, que stick....naw doesnt work either.

cue pasa! cue sera sera!

That's not working either
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: DGuller on March 03, 2012, 04:11:08 PM
Quote from: 11B4V on March 03, 2012, 07:01:38 AM
Well then, I guess we need to bomb and invade Saudi Arabia then...... :huh:. Ah thats right we're already there. We invaded in '91 and those towel heads didnt even know. :P
At least one of them did.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: mongers on March 03, 2012, 07:46:35 PM
I presume that American will yet again get the name wrong and end up bombing South Africa or all of South America to be on the safe side.  :P
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 03, 2012, 08:18:57 PM
Quote from: mongers on March 03, 2012, 07:46:35 PM
I presume that American will yet again get the name wrong and end up bombing South Africa or all of South America to be on the safe side.  :P

Which American? Fortunately, Tim's not in charge of sending out the bombing orders. :contract:
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Siege on March 03, 2012, 08:35:37 PM
Really? We just have some more clues of the Saudi involvement, you guys are talking semantics?
Only in Languish.

Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 03, 2012, 08:41:47 PM
Quote from: Siege on March 03, 2012, 08:35:37 PM
Really? We just have some more clues of the Saudi involvement, you guys are talking semantics?
Only in on Languish.

Would you have us grab our pitchforks and get on a plane to Riyadh?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Ideologue on March 03, 2012, 09:44:53 PM
Quote from: Siege on March 03, 2012, 08:35:37 PM
Really? We just have some more clues of the Saudi involvement, you guys are talking semantics?

I think you mean qlues.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 10:16:30 PM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on March 03, 2012, 12:40:08 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 12:34:38 PM
I wonder if there was a similar problem in Japan back in the 1980's and that's why all the translations for my Nintendo games sucked. 

"A winner is you!"

Opposite problem.  A lot of the worst translations didn't rely on a native speaker at all.  "A winner is you!" is grammatically correct, it's just awkward ("Someone sent up us the bomb!" isn't, however).

Someone had to teach the translators.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: The Brain on March 04, 2012, 03:42:14 AM
Quote from: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 10:16:30 PM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on March 03, 2012, 12:40:08 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on March 03, 2012, 12:34:38 PM
I wonder if there was a similar problem in Japan back in the 1980's and that's why all the translations for my Nintendo games sucked. 

"A winner is you!"

Opposite problem.  A lot of the worst translations didn't rely on a native speaker at all.  "A winner is you!" is grammatically correct, it's just awkward ("Someone sent up us the bomb!" isn't, however).

Someone had to teach the translators.

Why? They held a gun to his head?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: jimmy olsen on March 04, 2012, 08:33:15 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 03, 2012, 08:41:47 PM
Quote from: Siege on March 03, 2012, 08:35:37 PM
Really? We just have some more clues of the Saudi involvement, you guys are talking semantics?
Only in on Languish.

Would you have us grab our pitchforks and get on a plane to Riyadh?
Wouldn't box cutter knives make more sense?
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 04, 2012, 08:48:28 PM
Pitchforks and torches are traditional hallmarks of an angry mob. Suicide is not.
Title: Re: Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say
Post by: KRonn on March 04, 2012, 09:50:45 PM
I'll wait to see how much truth to this, if anyone even really wants to investigate and find out for sure. Given that Saudi Arabia is such a huge oil producer, and no one seems to want to make waves with them. Then with troubles with Iran and the Saudis as one of the major regional nations opposing Iran, that all adds to not wanting to have strains with the Saudis. Besides, I can believe that some Saudis were helping, including some in positions of power, but the article says the Saudi government was involved. Perhaps this is like the Pakistani govt, where some factions like the Intel Org do things the govt doesn't sanction? Will we find out though?