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Arabia
Saudi Arabia threatens to pull $750 billion in U.S. assets if Congress passes bill making its government liable for 9/11-related lawsuits
2016-04-18
Big long Daily Mail article. Here are the highlights:

  • The administration has tried to stop Congress from passing the legislation

  • Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Juberi told Washington lawmakers the country would be forced to sell $750 billion in Treasury securities

  • The revelations come as President Obama decided whether to declassify 28 pages of sealed 9/11 documents

  • White House will make a decision by June

  • Bush and Obama administrations have refused to unseal the documents, arguing their release would jeopardize national security

  • Suggestions the files could expose a Saudi connection to the attacks

  • 15 of the 19 hijackers - and Osama bin Laden - were from Saudi Arabia

  • President Obama will arrive in Riyadh on Wednesday for meetings with King Salman and other Saudi officials

Posted by:gorb

#13  The US government should just tell Intel, Cisco, and Microsoft to activate the backdoor kill switches on all of their hardware inside the sand kingdom. Turn their lights out, and their air conditioners off. I bet they'll come around to our way of thinking right quickly.
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2016-04-18 21:47  

#12  Low oil prices hurt the Russians badly.
Posted by: Glenmore   2016-04-18 20:23  

#11  With oil wealth Jordan The Republic of Texas might be positioned to take on ISIS The Yankee Occupation Government.

Fixed it for ya.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2016-04-18 19:57  

#10  These suckers own 3/4 trillion in USG paper?!?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2016-04-18 16:44  

#9  Or better yet encourage the Heshimites to restate their claim as guardians of Mecca and Medina. I think without Uncle Sam providing assurances for the Saudi's they'd be rolled over and as long as it wasn't Christian soldiers charging into the Magic Kingdom the rest of Islam probably wouldn't mind so much. With oil wealth Jordan might be positioned to take on ISIS.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2016-04-18 16:10  

#8  I'd support (a) releasing the data and buying up the assets (b) bombing the Saudi Oil fields and letting the region gobble them up.

Assuming what is in the pages is as incriminating as the Saudi's are acting like it is.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2016-04-18 16:08  

#7  I'd support legislation authorizing the US to repurchase those securities. Hell, we might go as high as $100 billion.
Posted by: Iblis   2016-04-18 15:13  

#6  You think you know who would hesitate to release the info?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-04-18 15:06  

#5  Sounds like Obamas shaking down the Magic Kingdom, and they have provided the gig leaf he'll need to explain why he won't release the pages.
Posted by: Rjschwarz   2016-04-18 14:53  

#4  Most likely would be better for the US in the long run if the Saudis fucked right off.
Posted by: DarthVader   2016-04-18 14:09  

#3  Saudi Arabia is behind the lower gasoline prices in its attempt to put US frackers into bankruptcy. But now Iran, with our president's lifting of sanctions is going to flood the market with oil to hurt the Saudis.

You think the China melt down was bad, there is more to come.
Posted by: Ho Chi Crinens5363    2016-04-18 14:01  

#2  Good luck finding a buyer, unless you're willing to take a small bath.
Posted by: Raj   2016-04-18 13:57  

#1  the country would be forced to sell $750 billion in Treasury securities

I suppose that's better than borrowing the $18-20 billion to make ends meet, mentioned a few weeks ago. Why they could probably pull $300-400 billion in cash from the sale. [Full disclosure: I am an engineer, not a financial wizard.]

And selling securities - paper - ain't the same as 'pulling assets'. Does The Daily Mail have an agenda, too?
Posted by: Bobby   2016-04-18 13:17  

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