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"Real Interrogators" are all over Iraq. In fact Tikrit isn't far from Baghdad, the center point for operations in country. The two female interrogators are real interrogators. They are most likely assigned to the MI Bn for 4th ID. 4th ID's higher headquarters, the Corps that they are operating under, the CENTCOM Headquarters, and some Defense Agencies in Baghdad have interrogators with more than 30 years experience in their craft. And those are just the ones in uniform.

Proper interrogations sometimes take weeks and months to gain credible, reliable, truthful information that can be collaborated with intelligence. LTC West believed that he should be able to get an answer in a few hours, he did, but it is probably not the truth. And the fact that he arrested someone based on it still doesn't prove that the informant who fingered the policeman was being truthful.

To prevent action taken on faulty information is exactly why the rules for prisoner treatment are in place. Intelligence comes from information, but information is not intelligence. Bad information, just like bad intelligence, gets our guys killed. But since information hasn't been reviewed by those with the full data set to produce intelligence, bad information is far more dangerous to our guys.

Proper interrogations sometimes take weeks and months to gain credible, reliable, truthful information that can be collaborated with intelligence. LTC West believed that he should be able to get an answer in a few hours, he did, but it is probably not the truth.

"As a result of the tactic, the Iraqi provided information regarding a planned sniper attack on U.S. soldiers. Two insurgents were arrested, a third fled and there were no attacks in the area. West immediately informed his commanding officer of the incident."

Days or weeks, huh? Is that worth the life of one American soldier when it could have been prevented?