The Associated Press, October 27, 2008. 

The federal government has for the first time admitted publicly that it’s “standard for truth,” the polygraph, can be beaten.  The proven and simple steps to defeat the polygraph are now public knowledge and contained on a number of Internet websites.  In a recent case, undercover agents were trained to successfully beat the polygraph.  The following article provides details of this polygraph failure:  Polygraphs tested mettle of agents in biker case  

Additionally, at the start of the Iraq War, the Washington Times (Tuesday, July 22, 2003) disclosed that Saddam Hussein loyalists were very adept at beating the polygraph.  As stated in the Times, “US officials and military officers say trained interrogators in Baghdad have caught Iraq Ba’ath Party loyalists lying while hooked up to the polygraph machine, which showed they were not lying.”  The article went on to say that many of these individuals were trained how to “beat” the polygraph.  Such techniques have been taught for a number of years by foreign enemies of the US.  This has led to major failures in US polygraph operations.

However, others were not so fortunate…  When the Defense Intelligence Agency had Iraqi prisoners tested on the Computer Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA) by Chief Bill Endler, the NITV’s Director of Law Enforcement and Training – the results were dramatically different.  A number of Iraq’s top detainees, who were among the US Military’s “Most-Wanted,” were given CVSA examinations.  All failed the CVSA, and based upon the results Chief Endler was able to obtain confessions of critical value to the war effort.  No suspect tested on the CVSA was ever able to defeat it. 

What does the above demonstrate about the reliability and efficacy of the polygraph?  How can a failed system that can be easily defeated with minimal training (training which is available on the Internet) be trusted by the US Government to identity truth or deception?  Despite decades of failures and numerous known countermeasures, the polygraph is still relied upon by many federal agencies because of misinformation provided by polygraph advocates with a vested interest in assuring they maintain control over federal truth verification operations. 

The CVSA is the PROVEN ALTERNATIVE to the failed polygraph.