HOW TO GET A TERRORIST TO SING LIKE A CANARY WITHOUT TORTURE
TTP Intelligence Bulletin
Dr. Jack Wheeler
Thursday, January 6, 2005
It is such a repulsive sight to watch showboating Senators harangue Alberto Gonzales regarding torturing terrorists. I would love to see Pat Leahy or Ted Kennedy in a street fight. Their life would depend on their willingness to use any and all means necessary to survive. Then, if they did, we would need one of their liberal colleagues condemn them: “You had no right to save yourself by not fighting fair!”
The only practical argument against torturing terrorists is that it’s so undependable: the guy will say anything to stop the torture. Often, a dramatic presentation of the threat of torture works better. Take the Israeli way:
When a Palestinian terrorist is captured, how many Israeli lives can be saved depends on how quickly and efficiently Shin Bet (Israeli Security) agents can make him squeal. They strip him naked and sit him in a chair with his legs forced apart. They bring in a large Doberman pincher whose muzzle is placed inches from his genitals. They explain: “This is Herman. Herman is a very unusual dog. Herman can smell when someone is lying. When someone lies, it gets Herman very mad. And when Herman gets mad, he bites – really hard. So we suggest you tell us the truth.”
Works like a charm.
There is, however, an interrogation method far more effective than torture, or the threat of it, that is foolproof, immediate, and humane. It works the first time, every time, with everybody -- no exceptions. Yet it is harmless, completely reversible, with no aftereffects.
First, a little background in brain chemistry. Your brain synthesizes, or manufactures, natural brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are necessary for the proper functioning of various activities. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers which transmit the appropriate signals through brain circuits for thinking, feeling, and motor action. One such neurotransmitter is called serotonin. Serotonin is an "inhibitory" neurotransmitter, and its constant presence is absolutely required for a normal and non-psychotic state of mind.
Neurotransmitters are synthesized in the cell bodies of the neurons in the brain from specific nutrients in one's diet. Norepinephrine, for example, responsible for alertness and mental energy, is synthesized from the amino acid phenylalanine and a number of additional co-factors. Caffeine works by stimulating the release and prolonging the activity of norepinephrine.
The neurotransmitter serotonin is synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan. Without tryptophan, the brain cannot make serotonin. This mechanism applies not only to the human brain, but to the brain of every species in the animal kingdom, from dogs to rats to elephants to birds.
There have been numerous experiments that demonstrate the effects of a tryptophan-free diet on brain function in humans. Within about four hours, brain serotonin levels drop like a rock. Lacking the inhibitory regulation of serotonin, the brain becomes incapable of modulation. The individual possessor of such a brain rapidly becomes angry, depressed, and impulsive -- incapable of controlling his emotions.
The last thing a captured terrorist, intent on withholding information and resistant to interrogation, wants is to be uncontrollably impulsive. Such an individual would be putty in the hands of a skilled interrogator.
The means of converting a terrorist into putty is TFM Interrogation, using tryptophan-free meals (TFMs). Not protein-free meals. Meals engineered to have only tryptophan excluded, and all other essential amino acids present. Protein is, of course, a package or assemblage of various combinations of amino acids.
With a protein-free meal, blood amino levels will drop, causing the liver and other organs to start extracting aminos from blood albumin, then from muscle, then from organ tissue. Such amino extraction will include tryptophan. In other words, deprived of dietary protein, the body will cannibalize itself in order to supply the brain with tryptophan and other vital aminos.
But a meal engineered to provide all necessary aminos except tryptophan exclusively will not cause such cannibalization. The liver has no capacity to notice the lack of one single amino such as tryptophan, just the overall lack of entire assemblies of aminos, or protein.
A TFM is a semi-synthetic meal replacement, prepared in the form of a porridge, for example. It can contain plenty of real starch, plenty of real fat, plenty of real sugar or honey -- plenty of real chocolate if desired. What it cannot contain is any complex protein at all. Instead, it must contain about 30 grams of a synthetic mixture of all essential aminos in crystalline form -- specifically excluding tryptophan. Further, such a mixture should contain the same ratio of aminos as milk or meat, but with an extra amount of the aminos phenylalanine and tyrosine, which will both block any tryptophan extracted from the body reaching the brain, and increase the subject's levels of anxiety and anger.
Three such TFMs should be given to the subject over 12 hours, with the subject not having anything to eat prior to the first TFM for several hours. After four hours, the subject will become agitated, depressed, angry, and impulsive. He obviously must be heavily guarded and possibly restrained. Over the next eight to twelve hours, his symptoms will increase, becoming suicidal. Subjected to a TFM diet over a period of several days, he will become fully psychotic.
After a round of interrogation during a TFM period, the subject should then receive a normal meal with complex protein -- or simply the TFM with one or two grams of crystalline tryptophan added (it's tasteless so he won't notice any difference). He will calm down and feel pleasant. Then a "good cop" interrogator can step in and soothe him. Next meal time, it's back to the TFM, and back the subject goes into uncontrollable impulsiveness. The subject will quickly develop a real fear of the "bad cop" interrogator who interrogates him during the TFM periods.
There are no side or after-effects of TFM Interrogation. It is completely reversible immediately within an hour or less after one regular non-TFMM/b> meal. TFM Interrogation can be performed in the field, at Gitmo, anywhere. Red Cross observers or even Pat Leahy could be present. They could even analyze the subject's blood -- for whatever they test for, they wouldn’t think of testing for a lack of tryptophan. And even if they did, what would be the complaint? Malnutrition? Malnutrition that lasts for less than 24 hours?
TFM Interrogation is an ultimate form of interrogation – soon to be utilized by the Pentagon to protect America from the bad guys.
Four hours? I doubt it. This article is probably just poorly written. I'm sure this approach is promising but I doubt it would work that fast. Doberman approach is faster.