Quote Originally Posted by Merv Benson
Is there some reason why interpreters that we and the Brits have hired in Iraq could not be used as document translators? I understand that the Brits are concerned that their guys might get killed if left behind. My guess is they would be eager to take such a job. I would guess that they have also demonstrated a certain level of trusts at this point.
If they're indig, no matter how long they've worked for us, how dependable they seem, or how trustworthy they appear - you can never trust them. You always have to be careful with what you task them with and how much background you impart to them.

In any case, first, the number of available 'terps still does not meet the demand.

Second, there is a significant difference between "interpreting" conversation and "translating" documents. Document translation (in general, with all the caveats that implies) requires far more precision as well as requiring a higher level knowledge of English on the part of the individual tasked with translating the documents. Hell, the guy could be a native English speaker and a near-native fluency Arabic linguist and still require specific subject-matter knowledge in order to effectively translate certain types of documents.

In many cases, the nature of the mission should necessitate immediate on-the-spot document translation. Too often, this is only really possible if you have a soldier in uniform who is fluent in the language.

Once again, this brings me to my personal fork-in-the-eye of DA's "suspension" of the language requirement for HUMINT. An assigned or attached HUMINTer who is language-capable will be able to immediately read out the doc, so the mission leader can decide whether or not that information is immediately actionable or not. But right now, damn near all the HUMINTers being produced to fill much-needed slots can't interrogate, interview, or debrief the indig - let alone translate a document - without using a 'terp themselves.

Talking With Victor Charlie: An Interrogator's Story has some good vignettes about the value of DOCEX that also illustrate my point about the need to understand specialist vocab.