Ah, but since it is official policy that under no circumstances does the US "condone torture" then by definition anything that the US condones or practices cannot be "torture". So that's all right.

The old maxim still holds: the King can do no wrong.

Just watch Condoleeza Rice repeatedly explaining that US can and does never condone torture, and that it is always a crime.

Doesn't she do it well? It's an amazing ability to be able to be so passionately sincere when you are lying through your teeth.