Fixing the Facts
Since the US intelligence community appears reluctant to give the administration a sufficiently threatening sounding NIE on Iran and its nuclear program, they appear to be looking for other ways to push the confrontation towards outright war.
US military officials are putting huge pressure on interrogators who question Iraqi insurgents to find incriminating evidence pointing to Iran, it was claimed last night.
. . .
Brose, 30, who extracts information from detainees in Iraq, said: 'They push a lot for us to establish a link with Iran. They have pre-categories for us to go through, and by the sheer volume of categories there's clearly a lot more for Iran than there is for other stuff. Of all the recent requests I've had, I'd say 60 to 70 per cent are about Iran.
'It feels a lot like, if you get something and Iran's not involved, it's a let down.' He added: 'I've had people say to me, "They're really pushing the Iran thing. It's like, shit, you know." '
And thanks to the Democrats rolling over to support the appointment of an attorney general who isn't sure waterboarding is torture, I'm sure they will find ways to get some of the incriminating testimony they want.
He denied ever being asked to fabricate evidence, adding: 'We're not asked to manufacture information, we're asked to find it. But if a detainee wants to tell me what I want to hear so he can get out of jail... you know what I'm saying.'
Torture for actionable intelligence isn't all that useful, but if you're looking for "confessions" of Iranian involvement . . . well, I wouldn't be too surprised if we hear about some insurgents "admitting" to being supported by Iran in the near future. Something they've so far been unable to produce.
All about asking the right questions in the right way, I'm sure.
