Into the Fire

Most of you know I am generally not a non-fiction reader. I read and write novels. Many of my reading choices are thrillers. My favorite character is Mitch Rapp who, in several of the Vince Flynn/now Kyle Mills novels, in expedient circumstances exercised his own version of "enhanced interrogation". Contrary to the fictional Mitch Rapp's or 24's Jack Bauer's choices for extracting information from evil targets, James E. Mitchell, PhD, and his fellow friend and psychologist Bruce Jessen were the original developers of the CIA's Enhanced Interrogation program after the terror attacks of 9/11. Surprisingly quite tame and humane in comparison to the actions perpetrated by the terrorists, the truth is clearly revealed in Mitchell's book.

Recruited by the CIA to effectively extract meaningful information from high-value targets who engineered terror attacks against the USA, Mitchell and Jessen designed specific approaches, techniques, and productive unpleasant ways to make it clear to captured terrorists that if they cooperated and supplied worthy information to thwart future attacks against the US, they would be spared from further "unpleasantness". They had to take into account most of these captives had undergone resistance training like those of our Special Forces. The Islamic religion which the terrorists adhered to gave them an "out card" for revealing useful information if they had endured all that they could individually handle.

It's important to note here that in December of 2014 Senator Diane Feinstein and her Democratic colleagues on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SCCI) released a report on the CIA's Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program which was packed full of false claims and/or outright lies about both Mitchell and Jessen and the techniques which were incorporated to encourage terrorists to reveal meaningful, helpful information which would protect the US from further attacks. Some of what was published was detestable, unauthorized, and failed to mention that every method developed and used by Mitchell and Jessen and those they instructed had been submitted to the CIA, the DOJ, and the president for approval before any of it was used. Also, seldom if ever did the enhanced interrogations last up to 72 hours before the men began cooperating. They were monitored by doctors, they were given breaks, fed, clothed, and looked after everyday of their captivity and during and after interrogations even though they'd committed heinous crimes against many Americans and were proud of their deeds.  

Mitchell admitted there were a few rogue interrogators who failed to comply with the approved methods of interrogation, but they were reported and removed. The psychology of the religious terrorists was important in devising the plans for interrogation. There were follow-up debriefers and many others who assessed the information and along with Mitchell and Jessen determined if the men were holding back critical information or if they needed to be asked more specific questions to draw out the information.

Enhanced Interrogation is a fascinating account of the methods developed and used by the CIA to help keep America safe after the devastating tragedy and terror of 9/11. Very well written with Bill Harlow's experience, informative, with frustrating accounts and battles with politicians who failed to admit the carefully compiled information gleaned from the prisoners during their brief experiences with enhanced interrogations.

I highly recommend this book for those readers who want to set aside the lies and infamy associated with enhanced interrogations conducted by the CIA post 9/11. Filled with valuable, thoughtful, and incredible accounts of the development and process of protecting America, Enhanced Interrogations provides amazing and frightening insights into the minds and motives of Islamic terrorists.  

Father, you love mankind. The only hope for all of us is Jesus. You're the only One who can reach those who fail to see who you are. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.