And by what definition of torture are we using?

[southernleftylady]

Ugh I hate that line isn't that the same as the "definition of is is?" that they hated????
it drives me crazy and I'm not that great with words so i always say "the one that the civilized world has been using for decades...
but what would you say to rebut this comment?

[intaglio]

1. Definition? I go with Wiki

"Torture is any act by which severe pain, whether physical or psychological, is intentionally inflicted on a person as a means of intimidation, deterrence, revenge, punishment, sadism, or information gathering."

By the Bush/Gonzales definition the following would not be torture because they would not cause "Organ failure".

Letting the "subject" see spouse or child gang raped

Using techniques of sensory overload or deprivation to induce psychosis

Using drugs for the same purpose

Forcing the religiously devout into "unclean" behaviours - imagine if the CIA sewed a rabbi or imam in a pigskin