But we do ask CPAs what are the most effective and acceptable ways to perform accounting tasks, and having worked for one of the Big Six accounting firms, I can tell you they have regulations out the wazoo. Same for truck drivers -- there are numerous rules of the road, weight and cargo restrictions and safety regulations.
That said, I'm not ruling out extreme stress and psychological methods, but ever since the services put women and gays into combat, there is a big mess. Is it ok to torture soldiers sexually, to rape men as a torture and then spit on Uday for having a rape room? Lines need to be drawn somewhere.
On the other hand, when the ACLU swoops in wanting to extract taxpayer monies to defend avowed enemies, no. I personally feel that the Ann Coulter solution wouldn't be half bad: deny Korans and make the prisoners memorize Bible passages or else have to do laps, do hard labor, whatever. Feed them American food, and if they don't like it, too bad -- the Christian scripture says what goes into your mouth will not damn you, but rather what comes out of it.
Pardon me if I say DUH!
You asked me to define what are acceptable methods of torture and I say this is a red herring. So is talk of sexual torture and rape. If you'll recall, the soldiers at Abu Ghraib were prosecuted without benefit of the McCain Amendment. What the McCain Amendment will do is make it impossible to use even the simplest of interrogation techniques without fear of being prosecuted.
(Ask a CPA about accounting tasks? I'm slapping my hand on my forehead and saying, "Who'd a thunk?". And for the past 10 years I've had Joe's Torture and Interrogation Supply Company do my taxes!)</SARCASM>