He was saying that if the military leaders determine an action that imposes pain and discomfort on someone is "not torture" it's not torture.
He was being Humpty Dumpty: “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”
One of Cain's big problem for me is that he doesn't think through what he says, and what he says comes out it ways he probably doesn't mean.
I know what he was saying. Military leadership determined waterboarding was not “torture,” and they were correct. He’ll not box himself in to ridiculous definitions b/c the press wants him to.