Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: MillCreek on March 14, 2023, 08:56:45 PM

Title: The interrogation of Saddam Hussein
Post by: MillCreek on March 14, 2023, 08:56:45 PM
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/14/opinions/saddam-hussein-iraq-war-interrogations-george-piro-bergen/index.html

Interesting article and it will make me keep an eye out for the book.
Title: Re: The interrogation of Saddam Hussein
Post by: K Frame on March 15, 2023, 07:09:38 AM
Is it a liberal cry fest that George Bush's fascists spoke harshly to him and were overall just meanies?
Title: Re: The interrogation of Saddam Hussein
Post by: Pb on March 15, 2023, 11:30:51 AM
Is it a liberal cry fest that George Bush's fascists spoke harshly to him and were overall just meanies?

Doesn't look like it.  It is an interesting article.

I thought this statement was really interesting:

I asked Saddam, “When sanctions were lifted, what were you going to do?” He said, “We were going to do what we needed to do or what we would have to do to protect us.” Which was his way of saying he would have reconstituted his entire WMD program.

I did some reading about the US soldiers that guarded Saddam.  He was incredibly charismatic, and eventually got all of them emotionally engaged with him.  Some were very upset when he was executed.  The ability to do this is fascinating, given that they presumably knew the horrible things he had done.
Title: Re: The interrogation of Saddam Hussein
Post by: Northwoods on March 15, 2023, 11:32:47 AM
Doesn't look like it.  It is an interesting article.

I thought this statement was really interesting:

I asked Saddam, “When sanctions were lifted, what were you going to do?” He said, “We were going to do what we needed to do or what we would have to do to protect us.” Which was his way of saying he would have reconstituted his entire WMD program.

I did some reading about the US soldiers that guarded Saddam.  He was incredibly charismatic, and eventually got all of them emotionally engaged with him.  Some were very upset when he was executed.  The ability to do this is fascinating, given that they presumably knew the horrible things he had done.

That’s not terribly unusual.  Serial killers like Ted Bundy had similar effects.  It’s something psychopaths are very good at.
Title: Re: The interrogation of Saddam Hussein
Post by: MillCreek on March 15, 2023, 12:29:20 PM
The other thing that interests me about the book is the difference in interrogation styles between the military, CIA and FBI and I hope the author goes into that.  I have read some things about this, and bearing in mind that each organization has different goals from an interrogation, makes me wonder about the more forceful approach used by the military and CIA and if it is effective.