--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only…" description: "\"The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into a lot of trouble.\" — Aldric..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/aldrich-ames-16838_polygraph_the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nat_215246.png" --- # The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which… ![“The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into a lot of trouble.” quote by Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/aldrich-ames-16838_polygraph_the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nat_215246.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/aldrich-ames-16838_polygraph_the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nat_215246.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/aldrich-ames-16838_polygraph_the-u-s-is-so-far-as-i-know-the-only-nat_215246.png) > “The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. It has gotten us into a lot of trouble.” [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The US heavily relies on lie detectors, causing many problems. **In simple terms:** US overtrusts polygraph, leading to trouble. Key Takeaway Rethink reliance on polygraph. Themes trust government technology ethics Mood skeptical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - law enforcement - courtroom testimony - employment screening Key Concepts polygraph reliability false positives security policy Questions to Reflect On - How reliable are lie detectors in critical decisions? - What alternatives exist for truth verification? A Different Perspective Polygraphs are not foolproof and can be manipulated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Polygraph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polygraph/) ## Related quotes > [The use of the polygraph has done little more than create confusion, ambiguity and mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-use-of-the-polygraph-has-done-little-more-than-create-confusion/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The FBI, to its credit in a self-serving sort of way, rejects the routine use of the polygraph on its own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-fbi-to-its-credit-in-a-self-serving-sort-of-way-rejects-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [And they asked me to take a polygraph as to the allegations and reports I'd made. I volunteered and I took the polygraph and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-edmonds/and-they-asked-me-to-take-a-polygraph-as-to-the-allegations-and/) [Sibel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-edmonds/) > [I am not opposed to the limited use of polygraphs in a case where a person is suspected of wrongdoing. But widespread use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bingaman/i-am-not-opposed-to-the-limited-use-of-polygraphs-in-a-case-where-a/) [Jeff Bingaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bingaman/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered. After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite-2/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“President Reagan proposed further broadening the use of the polygraph test. All executive departments were authorized to “require employees to take a polygraph examination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/president-reagan-proposed-further-broadening-the-use-of-the-polygraph/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“Proof beyond a reasonable doubt = Katie Johnson's polygraph results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/proof-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt-katie-johnson-s-polygraph-results/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph examiner told me that I had passed and that he believed I had nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/after-reviewing-the-polygraph-charts-in-private-the-polygraph/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“Although it is illegal in eighteen states, to ask employees to take the polygraph test, employers reportedly can find ways around those laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/although-it-is-illegal-in-eighteen-states-to-ask-employees-to-take/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [To become a Secret Service agent, applicants must pass a polygraph exam. But after being hired, agents are never required to undergo regular lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-kessler/to-become-a-secret-service-agent-applicants-must-pass-a-polygraph/) [Ronald Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-kessler/) > [“Google: An FBI polygraph test will get Captain Mark Richards released from prison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/google-an-fbi-polygraph-test-will-get-captain-mark-richards-released/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [“The polygrapher is not one’s friend even if he or she tries to convince one he or she is on one’s side. Outright deception!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/the-polygrapher-is-not-one-s-friend-even-if-he-or-she-tries-to/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [My own view is that if you filled every member of the parliamentary Labour party with a truth drug and lashed them to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/my-own-view-is-that-if-you-filled-every-member-of-the-parliamentary/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) ## More by Aldrich Ames > [I said in court a long time ago that I didn't see that the Soviet Union was significantly helped by the information I gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-said-in-court-a-long-time-ago-that-i-didn-t-see-that-the-soviet/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I came into the Agency with a set of ideas and attitudes that were quite typical of people coming into the Agency at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-came-into-the-agency-with-a-set-of-ideas-and-attitudes-that-were/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [When I got the money, the whole burden descended on me, and the realization of what I had done. And it led me then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/when-i-got-the-money-the-whole-burden-descended-on-me-and-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The FBI, to its credit in a self-serving sort of way, rejects the routine use of the polygraph on its own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-fbi-to-its-credit-in-a-self-serving-sort-of-way-rejects-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The Soviet Union did not achieve victory over the West, so was my information inadequate to help them to victory, or did it play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-soviet-union-did-not-achieve-victory-over-the-west-so-was-my/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The human spy, in terms of the American espionage effort, had never been terribly pertinent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-human-spy-in-terms-of-the-american-espionage-effort-had-never/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Our Soviet espionage efforts had virtually never, or had very seldom, produced any worthwhile political or economic intelligence on the Soviet Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/our-soviet-espionage-efforts-had-virtually-never-or-had-very-seldom/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [The national security state has many unfair and cruel weapons in its arsenal, but that of junk science is one which can be fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-national-security-state-has-many-unfair-and-cruel-weapons-in-its/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [In my professional work with the Agency, by the late '70s, I had come to question the value of a great deal of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/in-my-professional-work-with-the-agency-by-the-late-70s-i-had-come-to/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [My little scam in April '85 went like this: Give me $50,000; here's some names of some people we've recruited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/my-little-scam-in-april-85-went-like-this-give-me-50-000-here-s-some/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [There are so many things a large intelligence espionage organization can do to justify its existence, that people can get promotions for, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/there-are-so-many-things-a-large-intelligence-espionage-organization/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [Foreign Ministry guys don't become agents. Party officials, the Foreign Ministry nerds, tend not to volunteer to Western intelligence agencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/foreign-ministry-guys-don-t-become-agents-party-officials-the-foreign/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I knew quite well, when I gave the names of our agents in the Soviet Union, that I was exposing them to the full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-knew-quite-well-when-i-gave-the-names-of-our-agents-in-the-soviet/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [When I handed over the names and compromised so many CIA agents in the Soviet Union, I had come to the conclusion that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/when-i-handed-over-the-names-and-compromised-so-many-cia-agents-in/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I'm a traitor, but I don't consider myself a traitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/i-m-a-traitor-but-i-don-t-consider-myself-a-traitor/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) [Explore all 38 Aldrich Ames quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) ## More Polygraph quotes > [My own view is that if you filled every member of the parliamentary Labour party with a truth drug and lashed them to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dobson/my-own-view-is-that-if-you-filled-every-member-of-the-parliamentary/) [Frank Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dobson/) > [“There has never been a Supreme Court ruling on the admissibility of polygraph evidence in federal court.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/there-has-never-been-a-supreme-court-ruling-on-the-admissibility-of/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [“The polygrapher is not one’s friend even if he or she tries to convince one he or she is on one’s side. Outright deception!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/the-polygrapher-is-not-one-s-friend-even-if-he-or-she-tries-to/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [“Google: An FBI polygraph test will get Captain Mark Richards released from prison”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/google-an-fbi-polygraph-test-will-get-captain-mark-richards-released/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [To become a Secret Service agent, applicants must pass a polygraph exam. But after being hired, agents are never required to undergo regular lie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-kessler/to-become-a-secret-service-agent-applicants-must-pass-a-polygraph/) [Ronald Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-kessler/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“Although it is illegal in eighteen states, to ask employees to take the polygraph test, employers reportedly can find ways around those laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/although-it-is-illegal-in-eighteen-states-to-ask-employees-to-take/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph examiner told me that I had passed and that he believed I had nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/after-reviewing-the-polygraph-charts-in-private-the-polygraph/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [“Proof beyond a reasonable doubt = Katie Johnson's polygraph results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trump-is-a-child-rapist/proof-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt-katie-johnson-s-polygraph-results/) TRUMP is a CHILD RAPIST > [“President Reagan proposed further broadening the use of the polygraph test. All executive departments were authorized to “require employees to take a polygraph examination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/president-reagan-proposed-further-broadening-the-use-of-the-polygraph/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Later, I went down to the Washington field office and an onsite polygraph was administered. After reviewing the polygraph charts in private, the polygraph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/later-i-went-down-to-the-washington-field-office-and-an-onsite-2/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [The FBI, to its credit in a self-serving sort of way, rejects the routine use of the polygraph on its own people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldrich-ames/the-fbi-to-its-credit-in-a-self-serving-sort-of-way-rejects-the/) [Aldrich Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldrich-ames/) > [I am not opposed to the limited use of polygraphs in a case where a person is suspected of wrongdoing. But widespread use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bingaman/i-am-not-opposed-to-the-limited-use-of-polygraphs-in-a-case-where-a/) [Jeff Bingaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bingaman/) > [And they asked me to take a polygraph as to the allegations and reports I'd made. I volunteered and I took the polygraph and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-edmonds/and-they-asked-me-to-take-a-polygraph-as-to-the-allegations-and/) [Sibel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-edmonds/) > [I'm not sure. I did not set it up. I have never done a polygraph test in my life. I didn't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-palmeiro/i-m-not-sure-i-did-not-set-it-up-i-have-never-done-a-polygraph-test/) [Rafael Palmeiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-palmeiro/) [Browse all 34 Polygraph quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polygraph/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The U.S. is, so far as I know, the only nation which places such extensive reliance on the polygraph. 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