My Opinion Only.
Interrogation is part science, and part art. It has both physical and psychological aspects. With the right application of both parts, you can get anyone to reveal information. Some soldiers are taught resistance techniques, but the other thing they are taught is to try to hold out only for a set period of time, in order to give others in their unit a chance to escape or relocate. Very few soldiers have more than tactically useful information, no one gives them launch codes or major troop movement information. The same is true with lower level insurgents, terrorists etc.
While most here are familiar with waterboarding, there is another technique which requires more time to implement but is more effective in the longer term.
Basically, you dose the detainee with Fentanyl (or a similarly addictive substance) with only light (easily verifiable) interrogation occurring while they are under the influence. After they are physically addicted (and everyone will become physically addicted, it’s a process that’s chemical and neurological and “willpower” is irrelevant), you put them through controlled withdrawal while asking more serious questions.
You then repeat this process for verification and re-verification.
Assuming you don’t accidentally OD the patient, effectiveness of this technique is at around 100% initially (if they were previously addicted at some point before capture) or 100% over time (if they are newly addicted) by repeatedly putting them through a withdrawal loop. They become both physically and psychologically completely dependent on the interrogator, and will thoroughly and honestly discuss whatever lines the interrogator wants to pursue. They will, on their own, bring up secondary lines of interrogation.
Mental resistance to questioning is beat down by the subjects physical craving both for pleasure and avoidance of pain/misery (two distinct things), as well as their emotional reliance on the interrogator for relief/pleasure AND the fact that their body has turned against them. Remember, after addiction has occurred, the interrogator is doing nothing physically to the detainee. They’re not hitting, kicking, slapping, punching dousing with water or anything else. The detainees OWN BODY is causing them complete misery/pain and so resentment actually turns inward. They can even come to hate themselves because they perceive themselves as “weak”.
Depending on the addictive substance used, this can be further enhanced by use of medication which causes an “instant detox”. And the cycle can be repeated as long and as many times as necessary without significant injury to the detainee. It requires little to no physical “healing time” as might a dislocated joint, broken bone etc.
The only person who can offer relief and validation from this cycle, is the interrogator. The detainee will eventually start to actively assist the interrogator, they are much less likely to attempt escape, and they are much more passive (though they must be monitored for suicide attempts).
Eventually they can be detox’d in a controlled mechanism via Methadone (or other drug) and released with no significant scarring or other outward physical indicators of their interrogation. This then makes their claims of interrogation less believable both to third parties, and to their own allies.
They’re not going to go back to the Haqqani network and reveal this as they’ll end up dead and they know that. In point of fact, it’s now an avenue for exploitation/coercion since you have audio and video (carefully edited) of them calmly giving up all manner of information.
This is my opinion only.
Regards,
-Bouncer-