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The Battalion
Page 11 • Friday, October 25, 2002
Polygraph test proves flawed
V
1 f
he U.S. Defense and
Intelligence communities
have taken a beating dur
ing the past few months due to
their inconstant state of effi
ciency - sometimes they know
what they are doing, sometimes they do not.
Regardless of the criticism, the American
public still trusts these agencies to protect
and guard this nation from outside threats.
Until recently, many assumed that Defense
and Intelligence had impenetrable borders,
meaning that it would be impossible for
someone to breach their rock solid security
and gain access to The United States’
secrets from the inside.
The primary security-screening tool for
many agencies within U.S. Defense and
Intelligence is nothing more than a worth
less piece of metal, and if there
was ever an appropriate time to
be paranoid about national
security, it is now.
In a 245-page report
released by the National
Research Council, the poly
graph, commonly referred to as
the lie detector, was deter
mined ineffective in recogniz
ing spies and other national
security risks during screening
processes. This conclusion is
not based on assumption, but
fact, and it is time the peo
ple of this nation pay
attention.
Lie detectors function by measuring
physiological changes such as heart rates
and breathing rates. The machine cannot
pick out a liar, but detects signs of anxiety
and tension, which are often associated with
lying. When this theoretical model is
applied to the real world, it is astonishing
that it never occurred to Intelligence agen
cies that spies may well be the most moti
vated and, possibly, the best trained to avoid
detection by the device. If the United States
r can plant agents in other spy organizations,
it should not be assumed that others do not
have the same goal in mind.
The CIA has learned its lesson about
depending on the lie detector. Relying heav
ily on the results of the test, Russian spy
Alrdrich H. Ames whizzed through two of
the CIA’s tests and was admitted into the
agency. They were none the wiser until 10
U.S. agents were killed in Moscow, and all
because this nation let its guard down based
°n a machine that showed Ames was telling
■he truth and overlooked what could have
been a serious warning signal of a mole in
MELISSA FRIED
the agency.
On the other hand, where
the polygraph is unable to
root out spies, it does an
effective job in falsely nam
ing the innocent as liars.
These unpleasant trade
offs were illustrated in a chart accompany
ing the National Research Council’s report.
Supposing a hypothetical population of
10,000 government employees, including 10
spies, were given the test, if the tests were
sensitive enough to detect 80 percent of the
traitors, 1,606 employees would fail the
test—eight of them spies and 1,598 of them
loyal. The same physiological changes —
anxiety and tension — can cause the most
truthful person to fail the test because these
emotions are quickly attributed to trai-
tors.
The Council admit
ted that accurate lie
detection is achievable,
but polygraph science
has tended to avoid
innovation and still
relies on antiquated
physiological signs.
With all the money that
has been pumped into
U.S. Defense and
Intelligence, it should be
asking itself why neither
division has taken the
time to update technolo
gy on the home front before proceeding to
immerse itself in other projects. In the
past few months alone, the United States
has been so caught up in peacekeeping and
making war that it has forgotten, for just a
moment, to take care of itself. The United
States can not be expected to work at its full
potential if it continues to live behind a cur
tain of false-belief of the machine’s value
and accidentally allow spies to hinder the
successful carrying out of U.S. policies
Movies love to portray the polygraph as
effective. It is the power of an image of a
needle going up and down really fast that
evokes a response of overconfidence in
this as a tool, said Stephen Fienberg, a
professor of statistics and com
puter science at Carnegie
Mellon University.
Perhaps this is a prime
example of when art does
not imitate life.
Melissa Fried is a sophomore
international studies major.
u
The primary
security-screening tool
for many agencies
within U.S. Defense
and Intelligence is
nothing more than a
worthless piece of
metal.
RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION
sion.
RAM
Anti-DWI campaign
needed to dissuade
drunk drivers
In response to George Deutsch's
°rt- 24 column:
I would like to start off by
commending George
7 a tactful i
However, l disagree.
^cqueline Saburido m
c oice to appear in those
Jpo^ials, and in my op
doe s nothing at al
a jnounce herself as a
S ow act" in any way.
also do not believe th
* 0T or DPS is misusin
a p for any publicity st
bat | do believe is
ro ugh her misfortune
n tell others of the tra*
dr| nking and driving
0re vivid images that a
ithas^ USes ' t ^ ie more i'
a ? /i | 1ether or not it :
vnm , s to the restrooi
the '' ° r c b | ild r en cryinj
lr Parent's arms may o
MAIL CALL
not be a bad thing, at least
they would learn something
from it. Fear is a common tac
tic that is used to evoke nega
tive emotions, thus eliminating
unwanted behavior. As for this
commercial, it goes without
saying that it is somewhat dis
turbing, and alarming, and
whether or not it will deter
drunk driving is not my place
to say.
But, I do believe that this
commercial will give others a
second chance to think
whether or not they are sober
enough to drive home. Maybe
we need more offensive com
mercials to get the message
out there, or someone to step
up and show us the real life
consequences of our actions.
As for Jacqueline Saburido,
her story is one of a kind, but
who is to say that it cannot
happen to a friend, or even
you. The commercial may not
change everyone's behavior,
but I know for a fact that it will
change some, such as my
father's.
Jennifer Huffcut
Class of 2003
Deutsch's article is what's in
poor taste. His treatment of Ms.
Saburido is appalling.
In his article he describes her
as "disgusting," "a side-show
act," and says that she will "be
sending adults to the restroom
to vomit and children into their
parents' arms to cry."
This woman has been through
a tragedy that almost no one,
and certainly not Deutsch, can
even begin to imagine. The fact
that she has the courage to face
the television public should be
commended, not ridiculed.
But according to Deutsch she
should be in hiding for the rest
of her life so that the public will
not have to be confronted with
the horrors that drunk driving
causes.
What would Deutsch do if he
saw Ms. Saburido in a restau
rant? Would he run to the rest
room to vomit? Would he ask
that she leave a public place the
way he has asked her to leave
our televisions?
My hope is that Ms. Saburido
doesn't read The Battalion.
Joe Price
Class of 1999
Traditions still thrive
Many Aggies still enjoy A&M customs
hen I
took a
tour of
the Texas A&M
campus my sen- SARA FOLEY
ior year in high
school, I remember noticing with some bewil
derment the sea of maroon shirts I was faced
with. It seemed to me that every student, if
not actually wearing an A&M shirt, had the
logo monogrammed on a backpack, hat, or
dangling from a key chain.
As I walked through the campus, my tour
guide told stories of Aggie
traditions that I was told
many times later at my new
student conference and Fish
Camp. Although I may have
gotten a bit annoyed at the
repetition, I found myself
telling my friends from other
schools the same stories when
they came to visit.
They would shake their
heads and lose track of the
Aggie terminology that I use
as part of my everyday jar
gon.
Even Aggies who are not
particularly fond of A&M can probably
recount some stories, recite some yells.
They might even have a maroon T-shirt or
two tucked away in their drawer or a sticker
on their car. Although it may go unnoticed by
some, the Aggie Spirit is alive and well.
Apparently, this is not the case at every
university. In the Southern Methodist
University school newspaper. The Daily
Campus, a recent editorial criticized the stu
dents for their lack of school spirit and even
quoted the words to “The Spirit of
Aggieland,” as it reprimanded SMU students
for supporting alternative universities.
Aggies are fortunate not to have to deal
with this. Even A&M’s biggest on-campus
dissenters are better than the average student
at some universities, as this SMU column
indicates. In fact, the occasional person wear
ing a T-shirt from another university is often
met with a number of glares on campus, and
they are clearly part of the minority.
Not everyone can recount every tradition
or the significance behind it, but luckily some
people can, such as members of the Traditions
Council, who make sure that A&M’s history
is not
forgotten.
Even when upset in the close game against
Texas Tech, one could still
hear “Whoop” and “Howdy”
amidst the crowds. This spirit
does not exist at most universi
ties, and at times we are quick
to forget how fortunate we are
to be part of a school with
such a rigorous
environment.
Sure, Aggies may get frus
trated with the team at times.
The student body may ques
tion some of the University’s
policies. Students may also
complain about parking, along
with a list of other grievances
the administration imposes upon us.
However, underneath any reservations we
might have, we know we have chosen to be
here. We are Aggies and proud of our school.
Although not every student appreciates and
contributes to the A&M community, there are
enough that do.
Aggies stand up at football games, whoop,
take off their hats in the MSC and honor those
who have lost their lives at Silver Taps.
Without our spirit, Texas A&M would be just
another state school, but with it Aggies distin
guish themselves as people to be proud of.
Sara Foley is a sophomore
journalism major.
u
We are Aggies and
proud of our school.
Although not every s
tudent appreciates and
contributes to the A&M
community, there are
enough that do.