Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

Preparing with Respect to U.S. Interests and Personnel
Effective negotiation in every strategy requires consideration and
understanding of the interests on both sides. An educer would thus first consider
the short-term and long-term goals of the United States. The short-term interests
are to obtain as much useful and accurate information as possible, as fast as
possible. Longer-term interests could include improving the image of the country,
the possibility of sowing doubt in the mind of a potential enemy, the importance
of planting information in a person or a group who will be released, and the
possibility of recruiting a secret agent or source.
It may not be a simple task for the U.S. side to understand the various
interests of the different people involved, let alone build a coherent or effective EI
team. However, planning and preparing a team approach for each source would
be important.
As an example, one party whose interests are at stake is the U.S. interrogator.
In a given EI situation the interests of the United States are not necessarily the
same as those of the educer(s). Imagine an untrained, frustrated interrogator who
is angry with “terrorists,” loathes his or her job in a detainee camp, and feels
great pressure to “get results.” This person, or the EI team, might have an interest
in “taking it out” on a source in a way that will not be in the short- or long-term
interests of the United States. A poorly trained interrogator or one who lacks
self-discipline might try to show off to co-workers in unfortunate ways, without
understanding the possible damage to U.S. interests. An interrogator who has
just arrived on the scene might not know what he or she needs to understand
about U.S. operational goals, and might therefore act according to his or her own
interests.
There might also be multiple agencies, or agents from multiple countries,
interested in information from one source. It may sometimes be helpful, as part
of a thoughtful strategic plan, for different people to try to educe information
from the same source, together or separately. However, theory suggests that
the presence of known observers and multiple parties is likely to change the
dynamics of a negotiation. Multiple educers could also be quite damaging — the
presence of more than one educer or educer team might make any of the parties
less cooperative. The involvement of more than one educer might sometimes
interfere with establishment of a “connection” with a source. Planning the roles
of each member of the EI team would seem essential.
Preparing with Respect to the Interests of the Source
What are the interests of the source and relevant persons who support the
source and/or his position The characteristics of each individual source might be
important. Some sources may not be bitter enemies of the United States. Some
may not know anything of value. Some may be willing to trade (for example, they
might trade information for reputation, family benefits, money, or something else
of value). Some may be affected emotionally in predictable ways, for good or
for ill, by the way they are treated. Some might be “turned” and become willing
to provide information because of an interest in freedom and opportunity for
themselves and family members. Some might occasionally want their viewpoint
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