Quote Originally Posted by Schmedlap View Post
...on this narrow issue of terminology, it is not as simple as engaging in word play.
As a practitioner, I can't help but see it as word play. What we do is either interrogation or torture. There is no such thing as "enhanced" interrogation.

In the conduct of interrogation we use all of our skills and accepted legal methodologies to obtain the maximum amount of information in the minimum amount of time. Its hard work - and not a matter of simply asking a few questions. There's no half-assing it - unless the interrogator is simply incompetent (which goes back to the fundamental issues of training and leadership).

Thus, the term "enhanced" interrogation implies that an interrogator is holding back and not doing all he can to accomplish the mission. As a mindset, of course, this is common with some in leadership/command positions - ignorant of interrogation methodologies - who think that if the interrogator would just push harder and use those iffy techniques the source would break. Therein lies the path to ruin.

Torture, on the other hand, is easy. Any monkey can apply physical and psychological coercion until the source breaks and tells him what he wants to hear. Short of the popular perceptions of torture, stress positions and what is referred to as "enhanced interrogation" do not fall within the realm of professional interrogation methodologies, but are just the easy fallback tools of incompetent interrogators and reflect very poorly on their leadership/command.