Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

How and when an interrogator would share information with a source is
likely to be important, partly in building a “strategic connection” and believability,
and partly in encouraging honesty and forestalling deception. “Sequencing” is
therefore another issue that deserves further study. Bluffing and deceiving
(the source) are two classic topics of negotiation theory that EI research could
evaluate. Another topic deserving study is any past use of imparting information
or misinformation to a source who was set free.
In thinking about EI, one would imagine getting information from a source
to send to some central agency where the information can be combined with
information from other sources. A negotiations theorist would also assume that
information should continuously come to the educer from other agencies to keep
improving the EI process.
Negotiation theory has for decades examined the pivotal role of the
“constituencies” behind the parties. How information is communicated from
the EI team to the final user, and from the intelligence community that collates
many sources of information back to the EI team, would therefore seem to be an
important topic for review. How information is communicated (if at all) among
the source and fellow detainees and fellow countrymen would also be important
if this could be studied.
Information power is of course widely used against the interests of the
United States, for example, if terrorists effectively prepare sources to resist EI
tactics. Sources may also plan, or be instructed, to use misinformation against
U.S. interests.
Expertise
Expertise, especially expertise in the language, values, culture, ways of
thinking and interests of the source and his people, would seem essential as a
source of power. For example, such expertise is probably vital to the ability to
convey respect for the source’s religious beliefs. To change somebody’s mind
about giving information — in negotiation theory, moving his point of resistance
to giving information — the educer may need to “sow doubt” in the source’s mind
as to the validity of his views about talking. An EI team also would need expertise
about the beliefs of a source to assess the effectiveness of various EI tactics in
persuading sources to give useful information.
Expertise in the process of EI will be vital to plan and implement a course
of action appropriate to each source. Expertise and preparation in resisting EI
may also be widely used against U.S. interests, and educers should therefore
understand the techniques that might be used.
Elegant Solutions
Elegant solutions are a source of power in which a negotiator who has come
to understand the real interests of a source or a group of sources crafts deals
in which certain information may be exchanged for certain benefits — deals to
which the source and the United States can both say “yes.” For example the deal
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