Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

attack). Contrasting cultural perspectives on the cause and effect associated with
the attack may quickly undermine the viability of the circular logic approach.
While the interrogator may try to place responsibility (and therefore guilt) on
the source, the source may perceive the potential outcome of the event as strictly
inshallah… in the hands of God.
Scientific/Technical Barriers
The rationale behind the preemptive invasion of Iraq centered on that
country’s suspected research and development programs involving weapons of
mass destruction (WMD). The actual use of nuclear, biological, and chemical
materials — from weaponizing the unstable substances to the design of effective
delivery systems — involves exceptionally sophisticated activities. As a result,
educing relevant information from sources with the scientific and technical
expertise to support such programs requires an equally sophisticated approach: a
combination of applicable technical knowledge on the part of the interrogator and
the requisite technical vocabulary (in both English and the target language) on the
part of the interrogator and/or the interpreter.
Centers of Gravity in the Global War on Terrorism
As we approach the challenge of collecting technical intelligence, we must
take into account that the nature of the information sought about an adversary
is as varied as the adversaries themselves. However, several constants remain
within this fog of war. One of these constants is the need to correctly identify and
understand the enemy’s center(s) of gravity. This was a fundamental tenet of the
strategy espoused by Carl von Clausewitz, who defined a center of gravity as “the
hub of all power and movement, on which everything depends.” 650
For the purposes of this paper, it is important to note that centers of gravity
in contemporary warfare often relate to technology. Therefore, interrogators must
approach the task of educing information with sufficient technical competence to
fully explore and exploit a given source’s knowledgeability.
To use the current war on terror as an example, terrorism’s centers of gravity
include the ability to communicate, move, transport items, secure a safe haven,
obtain financial support, and develop expertise in weapons and explosives.
Examining just two of these — communications and financing — will illustrate
the importance of this subset of technical barriers to success.
The information revolution, which has spawned an unprecedented array
of options for communicating across town and across the globe, represents a
double-edged sword in prosecuting the Global War on Terror. Wireless cellular
networks, the Internet, and advanced encryption systems have made possible
worldwide, real-time intelligence gathering and support to military operations.
At the same time, the use of this technology — including cellular telephones
650
Michael I. Handel, Masters of War: Classic Strategic Thought (London: Frank Cass, 2002),
54.
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