Neither can you handwave away something foul because it makes your side look bad.
"Harsh interrogation technique" is a euphemistic phrase describing various degrees of torture up to and including waterboarding. A turd by any other name stinks as badly.
"According to ABC News,[10] former and current CIA officials have come forward to reveal details of interrogation techniques authorized in the CIA. These include:
Attention Grab: The interrogator forcefully grabs the shirt front of the prisoner and shakes them
Attention Slap: An open-handed slap to the face aimed at causing pain and triggering fear
Belly Slap: A hard open-handed slap to the abdomen. The aim is to cause pain, but not internal injury. Doctors consulted advised against using a punch, which could cause lasting internal damage
Long Time Standing: This technique is described as among the most effective. Prisoners are forced to stand, handcuffed and with their feet shackled to an eye bolt in the floor, for more than 40 hours
Cold Cell: The prisoner is left to stand naked in a cell kept near 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), while being regularly doused with cold water.
Waterboarding: The prisoner is bound to an inclined board, feet raised and head slightly below the feet. Material is wrapped over the prisoner's face and water is poured over them. Unavoidably, the gag reflex kicks in and a terrifying fear of drowning leads to almost instant pleas to bring the treatment to a halt"
Enhanced interrogation techniques - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia