what is torture

There has been discussion about what constitutes torture. If we would consider it torture if it were done to us or our troops, how could it not be torture if we did it to someone else? Some acts would be inhumane depending on the person's culture. Insulting someone's religion might not be torture, but it is likely to be counterproductive.
A recent letter to the AJC maintained that if a pr ocedure does not leave physical effects lasting more than two weeks, it shouldn't be classed as torture. This person is either lucky never to have felt extreme amounts of pain or other intense sources of physical stimulation, or he is has a low ability to learn to avoid pain/danger.