Hey Rod!
Waterboarding is NOT TORTURE!!!!
There is no physical injury and when the process is complete, the subject is in fine health.
torture is beneath us...there does not have to be physical damage to be torture. Fact.
And it's like baptism in that it could be described as a "come to Jesus" experience...
And it is torture. Its just the kind that that doesn't leave a mark.
I think there may be some confusion due to definitions that don't distingish between maiming and torture.
The main element of maiming, would be the permanent injury or loss of function of a limb, organ or system, without therapeutic purpose. It could even be done painlessly, e.g. putting someone under anesthesia and then removing a healthy arm. This would be maiming without torture.
On the other hand, the main element of torture is the directly-intended, deliberate and aforethought infliction of extreme pain and fear, whether as a means or as an end. It can even be done without physical harm. Giving drugs which cause a transient panic state, and committing rape with no injury, and, yeah, water-boarding, would be torture without maiming.
The intention in torture as "enhanced interrogation," is to deprive the subject of rational control of his behavior by creating abnormal mental states induced by pain and fear. It doesn't even have to be a realistic fear. For instance, causing someone to hallucinate and convincing him that the horrors he experienced will recur and recur until he cooperates... that's torture.
This is the kind of stuff that gave Soviet psychiatric facilities a bad name. It's morally wrong.
Ah, so you don't mind a little government-sponsored psychological torture then. How nice for you. Hope it comes to your family first.