Until you have been on the waterboard it’s best not to characterize it.
Every single official that has claimed waterboarding is not torture is at legal/criminal risk if it is ever to be found to be torture.
Anyone who has been waterboarded Khmer Rouge style (Warner Springs) that was not a SERE instructor (and therefore participated in waterboarding) is likely to tell you it’s torture.
It meets all the requirements of the USC for torture. To included permanent damage.
You prompt various questions. Among those are, what is the definition of torture? I don’t know legally how it’s defined.
I think we’re all on thin ice if torture is a term being thrown around with few of us knowing what legally constitutes torture.
Managed improperly one could drown. That would not longer be water boarding, it would be drowning. What permanent damage are you implying? Any kid who ever accidently inhaled a little water up his nose while swimming has experienced water boarding without permanent damage. It causes very uncomfortable reflex actions. No permanent damage. (I was at Warner springs in 85)
“It meets all the requirements of the USC for torture. To included permanent damage.”
Good.