A couple of posters above point out that torture is about inflicting pain.
If you actually read them, the memos are about how to frighten and discomfort the detainee without inflicting pain.
Shall we have a look?
I've already talked about the "flexible false wall". Let's talk about stress positions:
"A variety of stress positions may be used. You have informed us that these
positions are not designed to produce the pain associated with contortions
or twisting of the body, Rather, somewhat like walling, they are designed to
produce the physical discomfort associated with muscle fatigue."
Or cramped confinement:
"The duration of confinement varies based upon the size of the container. For
the larger confined space, the individual can stand up or sit down; the
smaller space is large enough for the subject to sit down. Confinement in
the larger space can last up to eighteen hours; for the smaller space,
confinement lasts for no more than two hours."
Or waterboarding:
"This causes an increase in carbon dioxide level in
the individual's blood. This increase in the carbon dioxide level stimulates
increased effort to breathe. This effort plus the cloth produces the
perception of suffocation and incipient panic," i.e., the perception of
drowning.
The individual does not breathe any water into his lungs."
I think "inflicting pain" is a good definition of torture. I would not want to broaden it to "inflicting pain, mild discomfort, fatigue, or frightening the detainee", because that would render the word torture so broad as to be almost meaningless.
