Like I said, the staff probably took the scenario too far and discipline may have been warranted.
But going in up front, any of those aviators, SEALS, or others who were going through SERE were briefed as to what they would be subjected to. They also knew that they could “opt out” or ring the bell in SEAL speak at any time. I got beat up on, within the limits of the physical limits allowed, slammed against walls, sleep deprived, hyper thermic, starved for about a week, and pretty much mentally messed with while I was in SERE. I don’t consider any of that to have been torture today. It was done to get people to know what to expect and how to survive if actually captured. One of the things learned was being type A almost always got you the most attention, most abuse, and most likely to be killed as a POW. Seems like the two in your scenario tried to test the type A theory.
After 911, if we are constrained by laws of war regarding torture, and waterboarding being so effective, no, I still don’t consider it torture on the enemy, or as a training tool in controlled conditions for our warriors.
I think it is torture, and would gladly apply it to a terrorist if I though I could derive some good from it.
I know it works.