THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF ESCHEWING COMMIE PSYCHOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES

In early 1993, the FBI met in Moscow with Igor Smirnov, who had founded the highly regarded Psychotechnology Research Institute in the halcyon days for mind-control agencies under the Communist government. The feds wanted a psychological blueprint on how to convince Waco cult leader David Koresh to surrender peacefully.

Smirnov recommended using recordings made by Charlton Heston, as the voice of God, to convince Koresh to stand down. However, Smirnov was only willing to estimate that the technique would have a 70% chance of success. The FBI did not want to proceed with anything less than a 100%, as failure could result in public humiliation.  

Ultimately, the Attorney General Janet Reno, with the approval of President Clinton, chose instead the option of storming the compound, which resulted in the death of 76 men, women, and children. Although in hindsight it was probably not the best of decisions and has had negative repercussions even decades later, Reno at least owned up to it and did not try to shift the blame upstream or downstream.

IGOR SMIRNOV