The first development concerned the alleged plot by Iran to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States. American officials disclosed that “several hours after his arrest” they had advised the Iranian-American defendant, Mansour J. Arbabsiar, of his Miranda rights. He waived those rights, as well as a right to be quickly presented to a judge, and spent nearly two weeks providing “extremely valuable intelligence,” officials said. New York Times, 2011-10-13.
Wow. Mr. Arbabsiar, you will know, has been widely reported to be kind of a nut case. His neighbors and friends say he is basically incapable of organizing his way out of a paper bag. And be it noted that he was caught by the usual American strategy now that the constitution doesn’t apply to anything: an FBI informant led him on for two months. Hey, do you hate America? I hate America. Hey, Mansour– you know what I’d really like to do? Kill the Saudi ambassador. I hate him. What do you think, Mansour? Do you hate the Saudi ambassador? What’d’ya’say?
But you can’t tell Americans the truth about all this for obvious reasons. So you talk about this “invaluable intelligence” you are getting. From someone who, I take it, has been talking and talking and talking. Because he’s not very smart. But when your intelligence agencies fervently believe that there are an infinite number of conspiracies out there but you just don’t know about them all yet, you will have invaluable intelligence.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation
Americans put on a fabulous show. They LOVE their constitution and their flag and freedom and liberty and they love proclaiming that they would die for their freedoms and no government is ever going to deprive them of their glorious rights as citizens of the greatest country in the history of the universe.
Truly one of the great disappointments of my life is how little the Americans really value their constitution and freedoms. All it takes to get them to give up those rights is a little fear. You would almost think they can’t possibly believe in it themselves, but they do.
Some conservatives are arguing that terror suspects need not be advised of their Miranda Rights.
Until the 1930’s, some states routinely tortured prisoners to obtain a confession (yes indeed– you can look it up). After courts began rejecting these confessions, the police resorted to more subtle techniques, like questioning a suspect for 36 hours straight without allowing him any contact with anyone outside of the police. Courts ruled that these actions amounted to a denial of a citizen’s right to not incriminate himself. So these conservatives are essentially arguing that the a key element of the constitution simply be ignored.
And now, let’s sing that national anthem again, with our hands over our hearts and our teary eyes fixed upon Mitch McConnell’s unblinking oblivious vacant eyes.