[Semper Vigilantis]

As bad as the photos look, they are nothing compared to what Saddam did, the VC did, the Japanese & Gestapo did...
I personally think that these photos were taken for use as propaganda/psy-warfare against other prisoners. The acts were degrading and shameful to Arabs. I'm no expert, but it seems to me that those people hold personal honor above life itself. To be degraded in such a manner would be worse than being hit with rubber hoses or even death itself. Showing this material to the other prisoners to show what will happen if they do not cooperate may be more effective than all of the threats.
Let's face it - the whole world knows that Americans play fair even when their enemies don't. It's time to take the gloves off and make some examples. Before you nail me, let me say that I am not condoning torture - all I am saying is that what I have seen is degradation, not torture.

[MaxPlus305]

But what's the difference between degredation and torture? Torture includes mental anguish. Would we take so kindly to someone saying, "Oh, stop acting all grossed out by seeing those four charred corpses being kicked about in Fallujah...they're just corpses after all"? No. We have a right to believe that the bodies of our loved ones be treated with dignity. And if Middle-easterners have a similar taboo against being naked...well, I have a hard time telling them to "suck it up". Note, I'm not arguing whether or not we should "torture" them in this way. I'm just saying your distinction between degredation and torture seems arbitrary.

[elfman2]

"Before you nail me, let me say that I am not condoning torture - all I am saying is that what I have seen is degradation, not torture. "

Apparently the torture is in the other 400 photos.

We don’t judge ourselves by the standards of our enemy. I don’t like excuses. I just want to punish those responsible, as far up as it needs to go, and start fighting this war like WWII instead of Vietnam. Unleash our Marines in Fallujah and elsewhere to actually defeat Iraq before we rebuild it.