School of War Ep 199: Jonathan Hackett on Our Failures in Iraq & Afghanistan
May 23, 2025
Jonathan Hackett, a former U.S. Marine Corps interrogator and author of Theory of Irregular War, delves into the complexities of irregular warfare following America’s post-9/11 conflicts. He discusses the evolution of interrogation techniques, highlighting the shift from coercive methods to rapport-building. Hackett critiques U.S. military strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for local engagement and understanding cultural contexts. He calls for a rethinking of military approaches and underscores the importance of non-military solutions in modern geopolitics.
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Key Interrogation Listening Skill
- Be an unnatural listener to succeed as an interrogator.
- Silence and patient listening often lead to valuable spontaneous admissions.
Tragic Interrogation Story
- An Afghan accidentally killed his father with an IED he was forced to plant.
- Informing him of this led to emotional breakdown and valuable intelligence.
Limits of Reid Technique
- The Reid Technique can lead to false confessions due to psychological pressure.
- Intelligence interrogations focus on reducing uncertainty rather than confessions.