RE: Military Interrogation [OT]

On Thu, 15 Oct 1998, Glover, Owen wrote:

> I have to agree with Mike here. Sensory deprivation is considered a
form of
> torture under the GC. Although it is an effective means of
conditioning it
> must be handled very carefully. 

I'm a bit hesitant about the "no lasting effects" bit. You can kill a
man
through simple lack of sleep, nevermind drive him crazy. People are
individuals and their tolerance to this kind of thing varies. Even with
strict limits for such methods, who's to say "just one more hour and
he's
finished" mentality won't emerge under field conditions?

> The fact that someone "spills their guts" is
> not an effective result in an interrogation. As Mike said, asking the
right
> question and getting a CO-OPERATIVE answer is the desired end result.
A
> subject blubbering and giving you anything he thinks might please you
just
> so he doesn't have to endure any further "treatment" is the same end
result
> as plain old-fashioned torture. 

I have to agree here. There is world of difference between getting
someone
to tell the truth (and for the interrogator to accept that the truth may
very well be that prisoner knows nothing of value) and getting them to
say
what you want them to say (which is what Spanish Inquisition excelled
at).

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