IN AN attempt to draw a line under the dubious intelligence-gathering practices of the Bush administration, the White House last week announced the creation of a that will use “scientifically proven means” to extract information from detainees believed to have links to “violent extremist groups”. It also indicated it is initiating research aimed at comparing the effectiveness of different interrogation methods.
But what part can science play in interrogation techniques? So far, its role has been minimal.
The last of the effectiveness of interrogation methods, published in 2006 by the US Intelligence Science Board,…
