The problem is the word "degrading" and even "torture" does not mean the same things to all people. Consider Dick the Turban's use of the words in reference to Gitmo. Sorry....but there is NO torture going on in Gitmo...nothing close to it, yet he was out there comparing our soldiers to Nazis and Stalin's goons.
The other problem is this: It's not that we want to use torture...there are safeguards right NOW to avoid that. BUT, why should we tell our ENEMIES that we WON'T use it???? The fear of the unknown is what will make these people talk. IF they KNOW that nothing will physically happen to them, they won't talk!!!