"Magical 8230;miraculous 8230;life-changing." These aren't terms most people associate with being an Army interrogator in Iraq. But Paul Holton is no ordinary interrogator. And his
tactics continue to win hearts in Iraq.
In the early days of the war, Holton was responsible for interrogating 17 Iraqi generals in a prisoner of war camp. He used an unusual blend of compassion, authority and trust with his
prisoners.
"Kindness is never wasted. Even in a prisoner of war camp, kindness bridges a lot of gaps," say Holton, an Army National Guardsman with 35 years of service.
Holton was skilled at building strong relationships of confidence and trust. These relationships enabled him to obtain valuable information on insurgent activity and details of atrocities
during the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Holton reveals many of his interrogation techniques and experiences in Saving Babylon: The Heart of an Army Interrogator in Iraq, his newly-released book. Saving Babylon is the first book
to be published by an Iraq War interrogator. (www.savingbabylon.com)
Soon after the fall of Baghdad, Holton took up quarters in Saddam's former palace where he applied his winning approach to uncover arms dealers, combat corruption and capture
counterfeiters.
But his greatest victory came as he began collecting toys to deliver to Iraqi children. Holton was soon frequenting hospitals, orphanages, and shelters to deliver toys, medical supplies
and other aid items. The result of those efforts was Operation Give, a humanitarian organization that delivers supplies to children in war-torn and devastated regions throughout the world
(www.operationgive.org).
"My experience in Iraq was magical," Holton said. "The Iraqis are wonderful people. There is a special feeling in my heart for the Iraqi people."