Humiliation, abasement, and embarrasment are NOT torture.
Torture is watching the greatest, most God-fearing nation on this planet rive itself over insignificant minutiae.
Torture is deprivation, AND physical abuse.
Torture is being held powerless while your loved ones are abused and killed.
Torture is what the Spanish Inquisition did. To (by most measure) INNOCENT (by enlightened standards) people.
What the "irregulars" of Iraq and Afghanistan are subject to doesn't even qualify as "mistreatment", let alone torture.
Did either of you follow the manner in which the Germans handled their recent torture situation?
The Police chief of Frankfurt was in the worst of all situtations. He thought that the life of a kidnapped boy was dependent upon finding out where he was from the suspect they had in custody. The clock was ticking and the chief decided to threaten (just threaten) the man with physical pain.
For this he was brought before the court and found guilty. However, he received a suspended sentence.
Torture is a slippery slope and the Germans know that better than anyone else. This case shows how it can be both the proper decision in a given circumstance, but remain illegal.
This is the way it should be in the US as well. Only an excpetion and never the rule. Always prosecuted, but only selectively punished.
You sirs, I am afraid are beginning to slide.
By the way, the boy was already dead. Here is a link, which is unfortunately only in German. http://www.nzz.ch/2004/12/20/al/page-newzzE2YI6V2Y-12.html
Maybe another Freeper has an English link.