Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

eliably. 106 Perusing the literature on long-term isolation, one quickly draws the
conclusion that the subject experiences profound emotional, psychological, and
physical discomfort, and that such abuse would therefore fail to measure up to the
standards for the treatment of prisoners as set forth in international accords and
U.S. Federal statutes. In this alone, it fails one criterion of interrogation noted in
FM 34-52: lawfulness.
From a purely operational perspective, the effects of isolation can truly be a
double-edged sword. Isolation, especially in the initial stages of an interrogation,
is a fundamental strategy designed to prevent a source from collaborating with
other detainees (e.g., coordinating an overarching “story”) as well as from
drawing emotional and psychological strength from time spent in the company
of associates. This notwithstanding, the literature also suggests that effects of
isolation can significantly and negatively impact the ability of the source to recall
information accurately. Given that source veracity and the reliability of HUMINT
source reporting have long been viewed as problematic within the Intelligence
Community, long-term isolation of sources appears unlikely to produce useful
data.
The Interrogator’s Checklist
The KUBARK manual sets forth an Interrogator’s Checklist of 50
questions (although several have been deleted for security reasons) that would
be exceptionally useful in guiding the interrogator through all phases of the
interrogation process. With an uncommon degree of both depth and breadth, the
questions are arranged sequentially, enabling the interrogator not only to carefully
consider a broad range of complex factors involved in an extended interrogation,
but also to evaluate the results of the interrogation objectively. This latter aspect
would foster the type of reflection necessary to continually improve knowledge,
skills and abilities.
The checklist includes several questions that are particularly noteworthy.
It asks the interrogator, for instance, to consider whether the interrogation is
even necessary or if the information requirements could be satisfied through
other, overt sources (the “Going Next Door” approach cited previously). The
checklist reminds the interrogator of the importance of rapport, asking if it has
been established properly during the opening phase of the interrogation. If the
interrogator anticipates that the source will be resistant, it directs the interrogator’s
focus to the source of that resistance (e.g., fear, political convictions, stubbornness,
etc.). 107
Intelligence analysts have described the changing tactics and strategies
employed by terrorists and insurgents as indicative of a learning organization.
106
This is an especially important observation to recall as individuals from the SERE community
contribute to the study of educing information from resistant sources. As with the research studies that
support them, SERE training and practical exercises focus on issues pertaining to compliance rather
than information reporting reliability.
107
KUBARK, 105–109.
138