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Solution is pretty simple. Issue every unit with an interpreter a tape recorder, and record every word spoken by both the investigation target, and the interpreter, and ship 20% of the tapes, and particularly any important interviews back to the U.S. for evaluation. If the interpreter gives a line of bull, instead of giving a faithful interpretation of the interviews, he'll be found out pretty quickly. The fact that some precentage of tapes are evaluated by a second party will keep a lot of the potentially wayward guys in line, too. Just because a guy arranges for a "disappearance" of an arms stash, doesn't mean he's working for Sadaam's crew, or Al Qu'eda. He may just be a free-market entrapraneur, out to make a few bucks on the black market.

Either way, they need to tape everything and spot check the tapes to keep them honest.

SFS

great idea, tape the conversations.

I was going to recommend hiring Kuwaiti's, Egyptians, or Bahraini's. But they could scan the tapes.

In fact - they could use radio's/satellite and transmit the comm, for direct, on the spot translation from outside the country.

Another solution is to take the translators out of their own area. In Bosnia, we usually used Croats or Muslims translators when dealing with Serbs, and Serb translators when dealing with other groups.

It would seem simple enough to do something similar between Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurd. Make sure that any given translator is more loyal to America than to the person being questioned.

Another trick is to have someone else listen in. We used to do this serruptitiously by having another American with another translator outside the tent. (Only really worked when on the camp and we controlled the environment) One of the purposes was to have someone else able to step in and steer the questioning a different direction or explore something subtle the questioner skipped over or didn't notice. We never told the translators (but I'm sure they figured it out) that it was also to make sure we were getting good, accurate and complete translations.

The only complication with all this is that you have to house and feed them away from their homes. (which also further isolates them from potential treachery) I think that should be a small price to pay.

Technology might provide another solution. I work in the software industry, doing voice applications. I'd think the technology is pretty close to be able to do a rough lower-quality-than-Babelfish translation of what Iraqis are saying. The translation might give "the gist" of the conversation, and if the translator is obviously "off," then consider them suspect....