PressTV... US Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has called for a new inquiry to find “the truth” about the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
“The families and friends of those who were murdered on 9/11 deserve justice,” Stein said in a statement on Friday. “They also deserve to know the truth.”
Stein charged that the 9/11 Commission that carried out the first investigation was stonewalled by the administration of former President George W. Bush.
The candidate added that when the report finally came out, it was plagued by many “omissions and distortions.”
“The 9/11 Commission was not given enough money, time, or access to relevant classified information,” Stein said.
“Led by the families of those who died on 9/11, the American people wanted — and deserved — a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the attacks,” she noted. This file photo taken on September 11, 2001 shows a man standing in the rubble and calling out asking if anyone needs help after the collapse of the first World Trade Center Tower in New York City. (AFP photo)
In his weekly address Saturday delivered on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, President Barack Obama urged Americans to remain united in the face terrorism.
"We cannot give in to those who would divide us. We cannot react in ways that erode the fabric of our society," Obama said in a veiled jab at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"Because it's our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly-no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith-that's part of what makes our country great. It's what makes us resilient," the president added.
Obama has, on several occasions, blasted Trump’s divisive rhetoric and described the New York businessman as unfit for the White House. Members of the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums band pause during a procession in Lower Manhattan to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, September 9, 2016. (AFP photo)
Obama in diplomatic limbo
Obama is facing a diplomatic dilemma as the nation prepares to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and caused about $10 billion worth of property and infrastructure damage.
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday that would allow families of those killed on 9/11 to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. The Senate had unanimously approved the legislation known as “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act” in May.
The legislation is sure to antagonize Saudi Arabia, a key US ally in the Middle East. The kingdom has threatened to sell off $750 billion in American assets if the bill becomes law.
The White House reiterated on Friday that President Obama would veto the bill. However, the passage of the bill by voice vote in the House raises the possibility that Congress could override Obama.
Before the vote, House Speaker Paul Ryan and other lawmakers held a ceremony on the steps of the Capitol to mark the 9/11 anniversary. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan joins members of the House of Representatives on the steps of the US Capitol for a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, September 9, 2016 in Washington, DC. (AFP photo)
In July, US lawmakers released a long-classified section of the congressional report on 9/11, known as the "28 pages," exposing several suspicious connections between the hijackers and Saudi officials.
"While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government," the document says.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who carried out the attacks were Saudi citizens.