What techniques should intelligenence entities be able to use to garner infromation?

I don't believe this has been covered and I am curious to see peoples opinions.

With all the hub-bub, regarding interrogation techniques, how do you suggest the intelligence agenies go about retrieving infromation which may be critical to the nations (USA) security?

Thats a good question!

Anything that invades privacy is the point for me. If you KNOW someone is up to no good then sure keep track of them hack their comunications, do what you like. The hard part is knowing who to look at for that you have to invade peoples privacy. It becomes a never ending cycle. Without spying on people, to some extent atleast, you have no way of telling who is going to be a threat.

With the advent of emails it gave us all a way of comunication for free and much faster, but for them it gave a way to spy on people. Afterall you can't tell if you email has been intercepted like you can if a piece of mail arrives already opened or doesn't arrive at all.

How would i gather information on suspected terrorists?

It would probably be the same way as its done now, their is no other way! Track who goes where, who associates with who etc.

That's ofcourse if these terrorists really exist and aren't just a population manipulation tool to keep us all in fear.

Thanks for being the first to reply!

My main thought was 'what techniques can/should be used for detainees.'

Example: You've caught a guy whom you know is up to no good and it is imperative that you find out what information he has inorder to prevent a terrorist strike.

How would you go about getting that information?

If loud music and cold rooms aren't allowed, how does one go about getting that information?

It's a good question, but it already has an answer.

They will use whatever they have at their disposal and attempt to keep it top secret.
In our media saturated world, a couple of incidences leak out; but these situations are soon under control with a few well chosen words and we continue our march towards tyranny.

What I'm looking for are what people here on ATS would do.

There is alot of complaining in regards to the US's interrogation techniques and I am curious to how these people would handle such situations.

I was hoping to hear from said poeple, I am very intersted in their ideas.

Well taking into consideration that our government is boasting their success on keeping us safe I guess that they are doing a pretty good job with the techniques they are using right now.

The techniques which people want to take away.

-no more loud music
-no more cold rooms
-no more sleep deprivastion (sp)

Why is it that all the people on this board who have condemned the US interrigation techniques have no recommendations?

Is it just an anti-USA or anti-administration adgenda these people have?

Originally posted by ferretman2
The techniques which people want to take away.

If you truly believe that is just childish torture what the detainees in secret detention camps are under then I guess you are in denial.

Think abu Graib but ten times worst because is not going to be accountability for the death under torture circumstances and it will be unrestricted, after all the American sensitive nature will never have to endure the pictures of abuse.

depends I know what weve been doing since at least the Vietnam Era. We do use shallow cutting, punching and beating. We play drum solos on peoples ribs with broken coat hangers attached to car batteries, we use 12 volt batteries and salt water. force people to eat broken glass. Shove shredded glass filled glass objects were they shouldn't be and then hit them in those regions of their body with heavy blunt objects to brake the glass. We lock people in 2x2x5 pine boxes for hours at a time to drive them mad, missuse soldering guns. Kill their families in front of them and cut off masculating body parts when we don't think were getting truthful answers. I personaly feel that non of the methodes should have been used,but they have and are being used by US Personel. We also frequently torure people for other countries and vice versa for us to avoid the people administering the torture from being brought up on legal charges in their own country. One of the darker sides to human anture and warfare. One day humans will mature past blowing and shredding each other up over stupidly incosequential differences.

We do use shallow cutting, punching and beating. We play drum solos on peoples ribs with broken coat hangers attached to car batteries, we use 12 volt batteries and salt water. force people to eat broken glass. Shove shredded glass filled glass objects were they shouldn't be and then hit them in those regions of their body with heavy blunt objects to brake the glass. We lock people in 2x2x5 pine boxes for hours at a time to drive them mad, missuse soldering guns. Kill their families in front of them and cut off masculating body parts when we don't think were getting truthful answers. I personaly feel that non of the methodes should have been used,but they have and are being used by US Personel.

Mind providing some sources? Those are very serious allegations.

The part about giving them to other countries which allow torture, I know is true, but the rest....you'll have to provide some proof.

The Terrorist in question decides what techniques will ultimatly be used against them. I would go all out to extract info under durress if the terrorist or enemy was caught days away from Nuking a city and the rest of the bombers are on the loose with the ADM.

But if they were just soldiers on a battlefield than torture is a little unfair. Getting shot is one thing slowly being disassembled is another altogether. I do agree with scaring the S*** out of them to get time sensative info. Like the Sergent who captured an insurgent making road side bombs. He knew of an ambush down the road his buddies were going to unleash on the Sergents Men. The guy talked because he was going to die if he didn't. It worked and he saved his Soldiers lives. That to me is also exceptable. Until we can eliminate the need for war we will probably never eliminate torture. Humanities inabilities to resolve our conflicts with words are the real issue.

Forceful interrogation is as barbaric as current surgery is to star Trek by all standard means. Why not use less than forceful means, like truth serums that are known to work and have proven to reveil more accurate info than torture ever has, under all intensive situations.

Techniques like stress positions are fine, every one goes through that in
basic an especially in OSUT. Nothing like standing at perfect attention for over 6 hours straight, while every move some one maks is more time added.

What ever technique is used, it should be proven and safe, while being that which provides best reveiling of what is wanted. More times than not, all that is required is for a adjustment period for thoseon the recieving end. After being in the loving and gentle hands of US forces, the threat of going else where and really being tortured and possably killed is not an option.

You can catch more flies with honey, than vinegar.


This is not Nam any more, no bamboo under the nails, or small cramped holes.
Sleep dep and all that sissy stuff should be encouraged, not vilified. What people should be worried about is the bamboo treatment and Chinese water torture. Not water boarding, but drip.....drip.... d r i p ......

Seriously now, wtf?

[edit on 18-9-2006 by ADVISOR]

If the insurgents know you are using 'safe' methods then they won't worry. People talk because they either fear bodily harm and/or death.

I don't know how perfected a trught serum actullay is.....I tend to think that is more sci-fi-ish than reality.

No the CIA really has that stuff;

Why not give them truth serum? Why not give them truth serum, as long as ...
Secret Evidence Repeal Act of 1999, Part II

USATODAY.com - Ex-CIA chief revitalizes 'truth serum' debate
Kevin Johnson and Richard Willing, USA TODAY

After the war, the CIA and the military picked-up where they OSS had left off in the secret search for a truth serum. The navy took the lead when it ...
'___' And The CIA, Part I


government agencies in the not-so-distant past (CIA, FBI, DOD, KGB, etc. ... Scopolamine was tested in the 1950s as a truth serum in project MKULTRA
The Truth About Truth Serum

Just figured, that you had a "need to know".

[edit on 18-9-2006 by ADVISOR]

Families being killed-Falluja.
Glass-Vietnam used kind of frequently.
Salt water & electricity -old trick-almost old hat. Used by just about everyone.
Car batteries & coat hangers,Cutting and Beating-SERE Course 2 of my friends experienced first hand.
US Special Forces and CIA are usually the ones doing the interrogation. They have an Title 5/1703(I think it was called-look it up it exists) exemption letter-absolving them of legalities when harming civilians, and combatants. They have this so they can be used to torture- I've actually seen one before. It was signed by the Pacific Rear Admiral and President Bill Clinton from around 1993 and is not common knowledge.
Soldering Gun missuse-has happened a couple of times according to the same person who showed me his letter. He also showed me photos from his digital camera he had stored on a flash drive from the latest Iraqi war. Not an easy thing to smuggle out, but the camera is commonplace for SF guys these days cause they can't take half the documents with them when they raid a place so they take digital photos as proof. In the photos they were manandleing Iraqi soldiers, there was fresh blood splattered over the walls and the prisoners were pretty swollen looking-I don't doubt that some of them were tortured like he said they were-by the way no he doesn't feel all that good about doing this to them either-although in all the pictures he was merely holding them or moving them around, was not gloating or posing. The pictures were taken in Saudi Arabia. now actually providing these photos isn't going to happen cause there is no way he would ever show them to someone he didn't know very ,very well, nor the letter. These aren't really serious allegations when you concider how often and commonplace it really is.

ADVISOR.....Thanks!

Bassplayer - it would really help if you were able to provide some proof to the torture allegations using car batteries, glass (need not say where) etc.

Sinc eyou have just recently registered on this site......you will see that proof, other than words/allegations, is needed in almost all threads.......

Originally posted by ferretman2
I don't believe this has been covered and I am curious to see peoples opinions.

With all the hub-bub, regarding interrogation techniques, how do you suggest the intelligence agenies go about retrieving infromation which may be critical to the nations (USA) security?

Thumb screws?

Tickle torture?

Tickle Torture would be funny..........

kookie kookie koo.......tells us where the bomb is otherwise you get the feather again.....

(of course some would have a problem with this method as people shouldn't be forced to laugh....:lol

Yeah I agree with you Proof is needed-but in the case of tortue the govt. usually doesn't leave much proof, kinda something they keep under wraps- so getting it would be kinda difficult other than having the people i've talked to write signed confesion letters which would comprimise a whole lot more than themselves. They aren't going to do that I'm pretty sure. Its one of those things were you just have to know the people personaly and take their words and in this case photos as proof. Sorry.

I agree that torture is generally barbaric but so is war. I say get them really drunk and like all people they'll spill. A sorta cheap truth serum. Some people talk better with the soft sell techniques anyways- Honey does work better than vinager alot of the time,but not always.