More than one way of skinning...
US CODE: Title 18,2340. Definitions
(1) "torture" means an act committed by a person acting under color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering (other than pain or suffering incidental to lawful sanctions) upon another person within his custody or physical control;
(2) "severe mental pain or suffering" means the prolonged mental harm caused by or resulting
from—
(A) the intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering;
(B) the administration or application, or threatened administration or application, of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or the personality;
(C) the threat of imminent death; or
(D) the threat that another person will imminently be subjected to death, severe physical pain or suffering, or the administration or application of mind-altering substances or other procedures calculated to disrupt profoundly the senses or personality; and
(3) "United States" means the several States of the United States, die District of Columbia, and the commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States,
The Bush Admin "understanding" of torture that requires an act to rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" before it can be called torture
Many acts were no longer considered torture in the
Bush Admin's understanding of torture since they didn't rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function."
Electrodes on the genitals- does not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore was not torture
Bamboo under the fingernails- does not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore was not torture
Thumbscrews- do not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore were not torture
Electrical shocks- do not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore were not torture
Red-hot irons- do not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore were not torture
Beatings- do not rise "to the level of death, organ failure, or the permanent impairment of a significant body function" and therefore were not torture