During a military town hall on Wednesday, President Obama said it was a "mistake" for Congress to override his veto of a bill to allow 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged role in the 2001 terrorist attacks, something the kingdom has long denied.
Speaking to troops at Fort Lee in Virginia, Obama said he understands why Congress acted the way it did, as "all of us still carry the scars and trauma of 9/11," but the legislation "eliminates this notion of sovereign immunity," potentially putting "our men and women in uniform around the world... subject to reciprocal laws." Obama warned that this sets a "dangerous precedent," and said his job as commander-in-chief is "to make sure we're looking ahead at how this is going to impact our overall mission. It means this time it's Saudi Arabia, next time let's say it's Great Britain, our closest ally."
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