Al Qaida Interrogation Cookies: All It Took To Soften Abu Jindal

Editor & Publisher:

Fascinating piece coming in tomorrow's TIME magazine. Reporter Bobby Ghosh writes, "The most successful interrogation of an al-Qaeda operative by U.S. officials required no sleep deprivation, no slapping or 'walling' and no waterboarding. All it took to soften up Abu Jandal, who had been closer to Osama bin Laden than any other terrorist ever captured, was a handful of sugar-free cookies."

Read the whole story: Editor & Publisher

Comments

[mtdem4ever]

Okay, this demonstrates a maxim I have tried to live by, one that worked for me my entire law enforcement career. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is not a suggestion. For 11 years I patrolled as a police officer, dealing with every type of person imaginable. It was a very rare occassion that my philosophy didn't work in keeping everyone safe and cooperating. I treated every single person as a person who was worthy of my time and respect. Believe it or not, in almost all cases the suspect responded in kind.

There is never any harm in extending common courtesies and kindness to another.

[bebecca]

I think you gave me my last speeding ticket! I got two within a few months, the first guy acted like I had just commited armed robbery rather than 15 miles over the speed limit. The second guy was nice and funny and as we finished I said "thanks for being so nice!" He probably thought I was a nut.

[jme-SD]

Of course cookies worked. Mothers around the world know this - they deal with terroristic kids all the time. And actually, if many of the detainees came from areas that were poor and without much refrigeration, they may have gotten very little sugar and butter to make cookies and it probably had even more impact on them.

[Voltage]

Mrs. Fields for Secretary of Defence!

[jsgaetano]

So Cheney's war crimes can be eliminated by cookies, and America was almost saved by a pretzel.

It's amazing how baked goods can do more good in a short time than conservatives managed to accomplish in over 40 years.

[justoverit333]

They better stay away from the rumballs is all I can say.

[Wilbur]

I wonder how "MaryJane" brownies would work?

Wilbur

[tiredofthesameoldstuff]

There were lots of studies on mary jane laced cigs on the mind control expirements done in the 60s. They got some intel but it wasn't reliable.

[KCFreedom]

They kept forgetting in the middle of sentences.

[mtdem4ever]

LOL! Probably very well!

[wsblake]

But the experiences of officials like Soufan suggest that the utility of torture is limited at best and counterproductive at worst.”


Anyone who reads and doesn't get all of their news from corporate media would know that studies have proven that a majority of AlQeda fighters in Iraq were willing to go there because of the torturing that went on. You don't have to be a counter-in­telligence expert to realize how counterproductive the practice is- its common sense.

[BKearney]

This certainly shows that those who sanctioned torture, ordered torture and committed torture did it for one reason and one reason only. They enjoy the torture of their fellow human beings. The U.S. government was run by these types for eight years, now even though they are out of power they continue to endorse torture as something good and necessary. We, as a country must heal our selves of our collective wounds brought upon us by these evil men and women. Prosecute those who espoused this policy send them to jail and apologize to the world for our nefarious behavior. To think what the world would think of us if we were best known for handing out cookies.

[SouthpawSass]

Oh heck, they should try my Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. They'd be singing God Bless America...

[PCdoc]

oh man, pardon me while I drool

[klondiker]

Mmmm..

[perplexed101]

Perspective, sorry . . . .

[tbone99]

Of course - can you imagine what a person would do for a cookie or a cigarette in prison? If you offered those guys a kebob you probably couldn't shut them up

[perplexed101]

Wow, treat someone like a human being, gain a sense of someone's perceptive, and then actually try to engage in dialogue . . . what a novel idea.

[DocSyracuse]

Cookies= dialogue?

Can you get the 'perceptive' of a lunatic?

[lattedrinker]

Somewhere in this story is a great joke, or a pun. C'mon people, help me out here.

[DocSyracuse]

The joke, latte, is that the article's author probably believes that cookies are the solution to all our interrogation needs.

[olmossy]

something like John Wayne , and his heroic crew ,in an old WW2 Bomber, squinting and fighting the bucking plane trough the storm. Over target sir. John grimly says into the mike, Bombs Away !
Grrrrr. take that you damn Gerrrys,!, 1000 tons of Choclate Chips. Grrr that will fix you !

[KCFreedom]

How about trying some pot brownies?

That'd make them happy.

[DocSyracuse]

Another leftie for pot. It really does solve any problem doesn't it?

[gayinmt]

No, but it sure makes cookies taste great.

[Mike4Obama]

The cookie is mightier than the water board!