I'm not sure the Bush Administration is lying. Wait, wait, aaaaaahhhhh (ducks rotten tomatoes). Please bear with me. Scotty McClellan has
made it perfectly clear that "We do not torture." But that led me to wonder-- whose definition of torture are we using?
Discussion after the flip
When we say "We do not torture" what exactly are we saying?
Are we talking about The United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment?
Which would define torture as
any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.
Given that the United States has both signed are ratified this treaty, which makes it US law (See the US Constitution, Article VI, Clause 2) this definition would seem to apply. The Convention further states
no exceptional circumstance whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification for torture
But maybe my Godless-heathen-pinko-commie-librul tendencies are skewing my perception.
Maybe the "real" definition of torture is the one Jay S. Bybee came up with for Alberto Gonzalez in the now infamous DOJ Torture Memo (I saved a copy on my computer, but I can't find anyone still hosting the pdf, otherwise I'd link) which defines torture as:
equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function or even death
Just for good measure, it says that mental/emotional/pshchological torture only rises to the level of torture if it lasts for "for months or even years." So basically, torture is so narrowly defined that we can do pretty much anything we want as long as your organs don't totally shut down.
So, if there is an enterprising member of the media out there (spine strongly recommended), here's what I'm wondering:
Scotty, when you say "We do not torture" could you tell us what your definition of "torture" is? Also, for good measure, could you define "we?" Did you mean the United States government and those working for it? Or were you simply referring to the fact that members of the Bush Administration do not personally sodomize prisoners with phosphorescent lights?
I'm just curious.
I mean, I'd hate for any confusion to damage your credibility, Scott. I'm just trying to help you out.