enhanced interrogation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈhænst ɪnˌtɛɹəˌɡeɪʃən/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈhɑːnst ɪnˌtɛɹ.əˌɡeɪʃən/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ɘnˈhaːnst ɘnˌteɹ.ɘˌɡæeʃɘn/

enhanced interrogation (countable and uncountable, plural enhanced interrogations)

1. (US, politics, euphemistic) The practice of using techniques normally considered torture that are claimed not to be torture according to a carefully parsed interpretation of legal language.
   • 2010 August 4, Leonard S. Rubenstein, JD, Stephen N. Xenakis, MD, “The Ethics of Enhanced Interrogations and Torture: A Reappraisal of the Argument”, in JAMA‎, volume 304, number 5, American Medical Association, →DOI, pages 569–570:

     In 2009, the Obama Administration released guidelines on enhanced interrogation written in 2003 and 2004 by the CIA Office of Medical Services. ^{(OMS).1-3(appendix F)} The OMS guidelines, even in redacted form, and opinions from the US Department of Justice's (DOJ’s) Office of Legal Counsel show that CIA physicians, psychologists, and other health care personnel had important roles in enhanced interrogation.

   • 2014 January, Claire Kramsch, “Language and Culture”, in AILA Review‎, volume 27, number 5, John Benjamins, →DOI, →ISSN, page 35:

     If Cheney calls it enhanced interrogation, he argues, this still doesn’t change the meaning of the word torture, which Cheney and the public know perfectly well. But cognitive linguists like Lakoff (1996) remind us that the public can be manipulated into believing that torture is “merely” an enhanced interrogation technique and thus does not protest.

   • 2015 November 30, Shane O'Mara, Why Torture Doesn’t Work: The Neuroscience of Interrogation‎, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 12:

     Santorum, in a comment regarding Senator John McCain's repudiation of torture, stated, "He doesn't understand how enhanced interrogation works. I mean, you break somebody, and after they've broken they become cooperative" (Summers 2011).

• enhanced interrogation technique