Are enhanced interrogation techniques effective in soliciting national security-related information?

Topic:
U.S. Political Debates

17 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
47% of users

  • Given the events of 9-11, I believe that the government needs to use whatever means necessary to ensure the safety of the American people.

    If we do not allow the government to use interrogation techniques some may deem unconventional, we are not allowing them their full resources to extract any information that could be detrimental to the American way of life. The protection of America's freedoms and security are, above all, first and foremost in the concerns of our government.

    Yes FlimsyMichael72

  • Enhanced interrogation techniques are effective and necessary for the procurement of valuable information.

    Considering the nature of terrorists, most who are willing to die to serve their purpose, it is necessary to use unique and enhanced methods of getting information out of them. Anyone who is considered a threat to our national security is fair game to whatever means are necessary to resolve that threat.

    Yes MarsBIue

  • In fact, all of the supposed "atrocities" abroad are going to be heavy hitters in my system called enhanced imprisonment:

    domestic common prisoners should get Gitmo'd in solitary confinement (a gulag can be substituted at the prisoner's request) until they are willing to be subjected to EIT's. If they refuse, their food rations should get cut.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Enhanced interrogation techniques have the ability to make the toughest talk, via the threat of impending death, even if the threat is only perceived.

    The range of techniques is quite intimidating in themselves. While they are effective, we must question whether or not it's OK to do unto others what we ourselves portray in the news as unacceptable by our enemy. We must play by the rules that we wish others to play by.

    Yes daveyxh

  • No, because "enhanced interrogation" is a synonym for ineffective torture practices

    Enhanced interrogation, or "torture", has been scientifically demonstrated to only be effective for less than four hours after the time of capture. After this point, any information the detainee is likely to provide is obsolete or unreliable, as someone being interrogated would say almost anything to extract themselves from the situation.

    Yes CesarMatthews

  • I agree that enhanced interrogation techniques are effective in gathering national security related information because safety of the U.S. takes precedence.

    I believe that enhanced interrogation techniques should be used to solicit information critical to the security of the United States. I believe that the minimum technique necessary to obtain this type of information be used. While some may consider this to be cruel and unusual punishment I believe that national security and the safety of U.S. citizens should take precedence.

    Yes SlayrKalle

  • Whatever means possible to protect our country.

    Foreign airports use enhanced interrogation techniques with brilliant success, and I believe we should adopt similar techniques.

    Yes StripperHalei

  • Yes, I believe that enhanced interrogation techniques are effective in getting information.

    I believe that enhanced interrogation techniques are a valuable resource for obtaining information that could be used for national security. If the person being interrogated has already been implicated as a criminal, then it is acceptable to use these techniques in order to gain information that could save many more lives.

    Yes 5c4ryOgdon
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No
53% of users

  • No, enhanced interrogation techniques are not effective.

    Enhanced interrogation techniques are no more effective in soliciting national security-related information than regular interrogation techniques. If anything enhanced interrogation techniques are less effective in soliciting information. Enhanced interrogation techniques can often lead to false information.

    No AverageHoward86

  • Leading experts in the field of prisoner interrogations agree that "enhanced interrogation" techniques, better known as torture, are ineffective, at best, and damaging to our efforts, at worst.

    Matthew Alexander, an Air Force Special Forces officer with over 20 years of experience, and who has conducted or supervised over 1300 interrogations, wrote a book a few years ago entitled "How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not Brutality, to Take Down the Deadliest Man in Iraq". In it, he talks about how water-boarding and other forms of torture, which we, in Orwellian doublespeak, now refer to as "enhanced interrogation techniques" were ineffective and cruel, and that all they did was get people to tell you what they think you want to hear. He talks about how it was Israeli techniques, which are based on standard police interrogation methods, that lead to Musab al-Zarqawi being tracked down. We used to execute the Japanese during World War II when they water-boarded our soldiers. Why is it now moral and justified to use these techniques ourselves? They have been proven to be ineffective, and they simply give our enemies justification against us. It behooves us, both logically and morally, to discontinue their use.

    No MagicalRodrigo30

  • Enhanced interrogation techniques are not effective, because they produce false information.

    Interrogation is a difficult business. The people who you want information from do not wish to tell you, so what do you do? Some think water-boarding or other tortures will get you what you want, but this isn't true. They will simply give you false information, if any at all is given.

    No CreepyRandy47

  • I oppose the use of enhanced interrogation methods because it does not provide useful information.

    Not only are enhanced interrogation methods wrong from a moral standpoint, it has been shown that most of the information gathered through these techniques is wrong or inaccurate. When being questioned under duress people will say or confess to what they believe the questioner is wanting to hear in an attempt to make it stop. One need only look at the confessions given during the Spanish Inquisition or the Salem Witch Trials to see the results of enhanced interrogations.

    No N4th4Kenka

  • I disagree that enhanced interrogation techniques are effective in soliciting national security-related information.

    There are many reasons why. One being that in the past when enhanced techniques were used, terrorists were killed and maimed in brutal ways. The biggest reason being that the terrorist can't know what direction that others are moving in because they're radical. You get no information that is solid. Its very simple, work on security measures taken for workers within the government and police and border patrols doing a better job looking out for anything that is considered to be dangerous.

    No D4rrLatina

  • I do not think we have fully mastered the proper techniques in interrogation, are security is still at risk.

    Methods of interrogation should always change with security needs. We should never become comfortable with our levels. There should be a constant need foe security and protection. If a method needs revision we should be working on the improvement. We should strive to build a better more efficient plan of action.

    No C0ImEIite

  • Enhanced interrogation techniques provide just as much of an incentive to tell false information than to tell true information.

    Imagine you're being interrogated in an enhanced way - to remove the euphemistic language, you're being tortured. Your interrogator is asking you for the location of a terrorist cell in Yemen that he thinks you're associated with. But you don't know where the terrorist cell is - in fact, you have no idea what he's talking about. Every time you tell your interrogator that you don't know the answers to his questions, he simply continues the torture. At this point, you have great incentive to tell your interrogator something - your self-preservational instinct demands it. So you lie to him. Torture only provides an incentive to give information - it doesn't provide an incentive to give true information.

    No A Bass

  • No, enhanced interrogation is another name for torture.

    Enhanced interrogation techniques in order to extract information from enemy detainees are unconstitutional, in so far as enhanced interrogation is another way of saying torture. Torture is considered cruel and unusual punishment, and the Eighth Amendment prohibits this. It is something from which we cannot let ourselves waver. This has to be concrete, no ifs ands or buts. Our constitution is the foundation upon which our country was built; we cannot adjust it to fit our desires.

    No PinkMych

  • Enhanced interrogation techniques are not constitutional.

    Enhanced interrogation techniques are not constitutional. The Fifth Amendment to the Bill of Rights provides protections for persons accused of crimes including the right to protection against self-incrimination and the right to a lawyer. Accused persons are also afforded the right to know their rights (i.e. through Miranda warnings). ?Enhanced interrogation techniques? violate those rights because they are only used when the accused refuses to share information which they have a constitutional right to do.

    No NatBIab
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Are enhanced interrogation techniques effective in soliciting national security-related information?
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