Comments | elspeth_vimes: I uploaded this icon just to reflect my feelings on this subject

elspeth_vimes

I uploaded this icon just to reflect my feelings on this subject

Mar 15, 2009 19:06

THIS.

Just...that. Both the NPR story and the links to other stories on the subject ( Read more... )

nixon's sad he missed out on this, current events, politics, the world sucks

Comments 11

pretzelcoatl March 16 2009, 00:10:06 UTC

But your mother should worry about when we start our own superhero agency! Because we should.

elspeth_vimes March 16 2009, 00:29:33 UTC

But surely, she will never think to connect me with the extraordinary Flying Bow?

fruitsgrow March 16 2009, 01:48:28 UTC

SINCE YOU KNOW THIS BETTER --

how do people effectively get information out of others?

elspeth_vimes March 16 2009, 02:22:44 UTC

Well, it depends on the target.

With a terrorist group the best way would probably be tapping into their best method of communication, cultivating a source within the group, and/or planting someone. But a group like al-Qaeda does make that extremely difficult. They change cell phones consistently, and are organized in cells so that the only people who have a full idea of what's going on are the few people in charge of the whole group. Those people, of course, are probably so committed that they could never be recruited as a source, assuming an agent could get to them in the first place. And having someone join the group would almost certainly never yield a return equal to the investment.

Making this worse, if I remember right, is that the U.S. isn't used to relying on human intelligence these days, it's been mostly signals stuff for a while. They're just not as likely to think "Well, maybe if we get some sources in this area where [x] have been known to hang out a lot we'll pick up something worthwhile." And, in the wake of 9/11, ( ... )

fruitsgrow March 16 2009, 08:42:21 UTC

It sorta answered my question? I was wondering more to once someone is captured, what is an effective manner to get information out of them -- but this was actually interesting. :3

elspeth_vimes March 16 2009, 20:13:59 UTC

Yeah, I don't know as much about that part as I would like...but when you're going after general information, it's much better if the person really does want to talk to you, I think. These guys did not really have specifics, and they should have know that. (Again, knowledge disclaimer.)
I am glad the tl;dr did not alienate you too much!

Thread 9