The covert operative introductory guide to Enhanced Interrogation Techniques as utilized (formally) officially and (currently) unofficially by the CIA, detailing the specific methods of each technique employed.

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Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EITs) refer to methods used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to extract information from suspected terrorists or individuals believed to hold critical information regarding national security.

The use of EITs involve physical and psychological measures that have often been characterized as severe, harsh, or even tantamount to torture.

These techniques was authorized following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The Department of Justice issued several legal opinions, often referred to as “torture memos,” that approved their use. However, the use of EIT is technically no longer (publicly) sanctioned by the U.S. government, and their use is widely regarded as torture and a violation of international law.

While some argue that these techniques are torture and should be completely banned, others say that they are necessary in order to gain actionable intelligence from the world’s most dangerous terrorists and criminals.

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          Use of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques

In 2002, after the 9/11 attacks, the CIA began using enhanced interrogation techniques on suspected terrorists in an effort to gain information about future attacks. These suspects were often held in secret prisons (known as “black sites“) located in countries where these practices would not be considered illegal.

EITs are primarily used when conventional methods of interrogation are not yielding the desired results and there’s an imminent threat to national security or time sensitive intelligence matters. They’re designed to break down an individual’s resistance and force them to divulge important information.

Their use is contentious and has raised significant ethical, moral, and legal questions. The George W. Bush administration legalized their use, claiming they were necessary to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Although overshadowed by the media over its negative aspects, the Enhanced Interrogation Program has actually saved many lives, prevented terrorist attacks, and is responsible for procuring intel that led to Osama bin Laden’s demise.

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          Effectiveness of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques

The effectiveness of EITs remains a matter of debate despite past results. Supporters argue that they have yielded valuable and actionable intelligence that has helped prevent terrorist attacks. Critics, however, contend that these techniques often result in false or unreliable information because those being interrogated may say anything to end their suffering.

Several (biased) investigations and reports, including a notable one by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 2014, have challenged the effectiveness of these techniques, suggesting they did not produce significant intelligence or contributions to counterterrorism efforts beyond what could have been obtained through traditional methods.

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          Enhanced Interrogation Technique Methods

While the specific techniques used can vary, the following are some of the methods that have been a part of the EITs employed officially and unofficially by the CIA:

Waterboarding

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Sleep Deprivation

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Stress Positions

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Walling

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Cramped Confinement

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Insects

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Physical Assaults

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Extreme Temperature Exposure

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Mock Burials

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Dietary Manipulation

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The application of these techniques are intended to be carefully monitored and controlled, with the intent that they not cause serious or long-lasting harm. However, abuses and limits do exceed, leading to serious harm and even death.

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          SERE and Enhanced Interrogation

The CIA’s Enhanced Interrogation Program and the U.S. Military’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) program are fundamentally related, in their focus on handling high-stress, captive situations, albeit from different perspectives.

Enhanced Interrogation was implemented post-9/11, designed to extract crucial intelligence from high-value detainees who were thought to hold information about imminent threats to national security. The goal was to apply psychological and physical pressure to compel detainees to disclose useful intelligence.

The SERE program, on the other hand, was created by the U.S. Military during the Korean War to prepare U.S. soldiers for potential capture by enemy forces. It trained military personnel to resist and survive under brutal conditions that they might face if taken as prisoners of war. Ironically, many of the techniques used in the SERE program to simulate enemy torture tactics were mirrored in the Enhanced Interrogation Program. A crucial difference lies in their intent; SERE was designed to enable U.S. personnel to withstand these techniques, while the Enhanced Interrogation Program applied these techniques to prisoners.

In a controversial twist, some of the architects of the Enhanced Interrogation Program were psychologists who had previously worked with SERE, transforming survival training into an interrogation blueprint.

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EITs are controversial techniques that have been criticized by human rights groups as torture. Nevertheless, the CIA continues to use them in certain circumstances. If you’re in intelligence, military or law enforcement, it’s important to be aware of these techniques in case need to interrogate or you’re interrogated.

There is no easy answer when it comes to enhanced interrogation techniques. On one hand, these techniques can lead to life-saving information being gleaned from suspects. On the other hand, there’s a very real possibility of innocent people being tortured and/or confessing to crimes they did not commit. Until there’s a more reliable way to gather information from high-value targets, it’s unlikely that these practices will be discontinued entirely.

These techniques are not representative of the standard practices of the intelligence community. The standard of intelligence work is rooted in careful analysis, relationship building, and adherence to the rule of law.

[INTEL : The Counter-Interrogation Method]
[OPTICS : CIA Black Site in Romania]