WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia
has told the Obama administration and members of Congress that it will
sell off hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of American assets held
by the kingdom if Congress passes a bill that would allow the Saudi
government to be held responsible in American courts for any role in the
Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The
Obama administration has lobbied Congress to block the bill’s passage,
according to administration officials and congressional aides from both
parties, and the Saudi threats have been the subject of intense
discussions in recent weeks between lawmakers and officials from the
State Department and the Pentagon. The officials have warned senators of
diplomatic and economic fallout from the legislation.
