It occurs to me I shouldn't deliver an indigestible lump of rant like that last bit, without also observing: you know what works? what does produce good, useable intelligence?
Kindness. Understanding. Sympathy.
Treat your prisoners kindly, with the understanding of what their culture deems important, let them carry out their religious obligations and observations, listen to their woes, their worries about their families, and talk to them like they were, oh I dunno, people: and they will unbend and open up. I'm not even talking about tricking them into accidentally blurting things out: with almost anyone, simple human kindnesses - especially when you know the brutal cruelty you'd hand out if the positions were reversed - are usually enough to shake any resolution, introduce doubts, and - in time - even convert their basic views.
Several segments of the intelligence community in Iraq for the last 7 years can testify, and have been trying to testify - eloquently and at length - to the success of this.
No comments:
Post a Comment