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enhanced interrogation

enhanced interrogation

9 9.2
Harsh or violent questioning by government officials that is like torture
  • noun
  • /ɪnˈhænst ˌɪnˈtɛrɪˈɡeɪʃən/
  • Offensive
translation icon : tortura
  • I was tasked to lead an investigation into a CIA program they started after 9/11, what they called enhanced interrogation.
  • enhanced interrogation techniques

When will we stop torture, enhanced interrogation, spying, spending, regime change?

Examples

  • If you didn't wish to be subject to "enhanced interrogation techniques" yourself, why would you subject others to them?

    Blog text (12)
  • But the issue of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques is one which, according to the record, continues to divide them.

    Blog text (27)
  • The enhanced interrogation techniques were brutal, and, perhaps most importantly, they did not work.

  • American officials have used enhanced interrogation techniques on a total of 28 detainees.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In fact, the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" on Khalid Sheik Mohammed produced false and misleading information.

    Blog text (23)
  • According to our review, indications are that interrogations of detainees upon whom the enhanced interrogation techniques were used did produce unique intelligence that helped thwart attack plans, capture terrorists, and saved lives.

  • On the Sunday talk shows, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former Vice President Dick Cheney argued enhanced interrogation techniques played a major role in leading up to the raid on bin Laden’s compound.

  • More than this, the enhanced interrogation of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Abu Faraj al-Libi revealed the identity of Osama bin Laden's courier.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The use of enhanced interrogation methods has been widely debated for their ethical implications.

  • Government agencies employed enhanced interrogation techniques despite the controversy surrounding their effectiveness.

Synonyms

torture
vsenhanced interrogation
  • Offensive
262 7.1

Severe physical or mental pain one person causes another to get information

uses harsh coercive methods during questioning often presented as a milder term
cruel and unusual punishment
vsenhanced interrogation
  • Formal
14 5.9

Punishment that is very cruel or too harsh for the crime and not allowed by law

refers to aggressive questioning techniques not official legal penalties
third degree
vsenhanced interrogation
  • Informal
11 6.4

Very hard questioning that tries to get information by pressure

involves coercive interview techniques framed as authorised procedures
inquisition
vsenhanced interrogation
9 7.9

A harsh, long questioning that invades someone's privacy

is specific to coercive government questioning often labelled differently
inhuman treatment
vsenhanced interrogation
  • Offensive
1 8.3

An act that causes someone great pain and suffering on purpose

focuses on harsh questioning methods often defended as necessary security measures
prolonged interrogation
vsenhanced interrogation
  • Offensive
7.9

Questioning someone for a long time to cause stress or force answers

emphasises harsh methods and intent to coerce rather than only time

How Harsh

to torture
  • Offensive
582 5.7
enhanced interrogation
  • Offensive
9 9.2
interrogation
  • Formal
236 5.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

enhanced + interrogation

A learner who knows 'enhanced' (more intense or improved) and 'interrogation' (formal questioning) can readily infer 'more intense questioning', so the basic compositional meaning is accessible. However, the phrase is often used as a euphemism for coercive or torturous methods, a pragmatic/political sense that is not directly derivable from the words and requires extra cultural knowledge, making it only partially transparent.

Etymology

Enhanced interrogation joins enhanced (made stronger) and interrogation (questioning), so it literally suggests stronger questioning. One popular use was as a polite name to hide very harsh methods, so today the phrase is often understood to mean 'torture'.