How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not Brutality, to Take Down the Deadliest Man in Iraq

by Matthew Alexander and John R. Bruning

Book Overview

How to Break a Terrorist is the thrilling true story of how the author helped track down and capture the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, al Zarqawi. Finding Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416573151
• ISBN13: 9781416573159
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Free Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A fascinating read

This is a fascinating must-read for anyone who is interested in the war on terror. I was handed this book by a friend and I assumed it was going to be a typical anti-war screed that demands that terrorists be "understood" and coddled. There is also little fear of coddling with Alexander. He is repulsed and haunted by the senseless butchery that went on in Iraq and was sickened by those that were willing to kill innocents with suicide bombings. Alexander's techniques only prove that his eyes were strictly on the goal - stop Zarqawi. Alexander's techniques are hardly "touchy-feely" - in a way they are a form of psychological trickery. He fools his interview targets into giving him the information he wants and then expolits their trust. It is also the type of technique that any regular viewer of TV detective shows see every day. The methods Alexander espouses only make sense to me, a veteran teacher. It is easier to get cooperation from someone that you can create a sense of rapport with, even if it is only temporary. Anyway, the book reads like a suspense novel. It is a quick and intense read and absolutely riveting and informative. Well done. Highly recommended.

A transcendent read

I've read a number of books on the Iraq War, from soldiers' memoirs to journalists' observations. "How to Break a Terrorist" stands alone from that group, as it gives an inside look into specific tactics on the most personal level. I can see why the book ruffled some feathers--it is a complete rejection of the ways of old, and the new methods expressed in it could certainly raise some eyebrows. Creating relationships and developing mutual respect seems counter intuitive when dealing with mass murders. Why show respect to people who would just as easily blow you up as they would sit in a room with you? And indeed, the author's inner turmoil over this point, combined with his persistent dedication to the cause (nailing Al Zarqawi) and trust in new methods of interrogation, is one of the more compelling subplots of the book. The characters we meet are fascinating. I won't talk too much about that, because you should read about them yourself, but the men he interrogates are all distinctly different, and the methods he uses change based on the subject, from the street peddlers up to the final link to Al Zarqawi, whose breaking requires the most creative interrogation tactic of all. To make it even more interesting, the new methods aren't even entirely accepted by the other members of the interrogation team, who prefer control tactics instead--the office politics--set in a warzone--remind us that old ways die hard. Also, as someone who only has a view of the military from the outside, I was surprised to read about the structure of the interrogation unit. Matthew is a major, but his rank doesn't matter--one of the funnier exchanges comes within the books first few pages, when an NCO asks him if he'll have a "hard f***ing time" with a sergeant giving him orders. Nearly everyone is an equal in this endeavor. Beyond the interrogation and workrooms, though, the author also makes a poignant commentary on the conflict itself: many Sunni join Al-Qaida out of economic and security reasons, and not because they care too much about the cause or are particularly fanatical. It's a decision to maintain the livelihoods of them and their families. By building good relations with the Sunni and presenting an alternative to joining Al-Qaida, the author posits, we can better go about creating a strong Iraq (he is vindicated--and I don't think this gives anything away--by some of General Petraeus's later initiatives that do exactly that). The author manages to convey his message about the effectiveness of the new, psychological interrogation methods without sounding preachy. He mentions torture sparingly, and focuses on why his ways work far more than on why others don't. Unlike other Iraq commentaries I've read, he doesn't have an ulterior agenda, and isn't out to get anyone, destroy careers, or anything even close to that. The DoD censures a good chunk of lines in the book, and yet, besides some exasperation linked to the aforementioned office politics, he never onc

A catalyst for change

This is a very, very important book. It rekindles my belief in the integrity of America, it's moral values and my support for our brave men and women in the US military. This book should and will hopefully be the catalyst which changes the way we do things in Iraq, Afghanistan and all future military operations. How to Break a Terrorist is a riveting story that teaches us that we, The United States, can win the war against terrorism; not by using brutality and coercion but by living up to the ideals which make our country great. Once you begin reading How to Break a Terrorist, you will be drawn into the secret world of interrogation. You WILL NOT want to put the book down. Despite knowing the ending - you will be on the edge of your seat the entire journey.

Couldn't Put it Down

It's non-fiction that reads with taut suspense...a hard dose of truth. A game within a game with the highest of stakes: American lives. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and literally could not put it down. If you enjoy reading mystery, intrigue, military warfare, special ops, good vs evil, covert ops, psychological ops, and good old fashioned tactics, you will love this book and keep it displayed on your bookshelf long after you've read it. An awesome read.

Not For Everyone...

Some people don't see eye to eye with the Bush Administration. Some do. That's okay. We're still America. We can disagree amicably. The author presents a story involving how psychology was used to obtain better data more rapidly than through the use of brutality. I see that as a positive thing. People die in war. Many times the innocent suffer far out of proportion to the gulty. There is no way to eliminate "collateral damage" as long as there are wars. And there is no way for free peoples to avoid war without just surrendering to anyone who demands it. I liked the stories in the book. No, I'm not offering any spoilers here; but I was fascinated by the ways the captured terrorists were manipulated into willingly revealing data that they might never have given up under torture. We all hate war; but this book shows that we can win and still be the good guys...