The New Torture Regs

The bottom line is: we still don't know what is or is not permitted. The Decider has the power to pick and choose. He is not bound by the rule of law or any treaty or the Geneva Conventions. So we are left with this:

In a call with reporters, senior administration officials repeatedly refused to say what specific kinds of interrogation techniques would be barred, arguing that doing so could tip off al-Qaida members training to withstand hostile questioning. But sleep is not among the basic necessities outlined in the order, one official said, opening the possibility that sleep deprivation is among the approved interrogation methods.

We need simple adherence to the plain English of Article 3. We haven't gotten it. The vagueness of this announcement isn't very helpful, and renders actual analysis impossible.