Does that mean that being made to stand on a box, wearing a sack and a hood is torture?
If its for any extended period of time in which one would be cuased physical pain from it...YES. Just like half a dozen other "torture" positions used, such as strabo while kneeling etc etc.
BTW when troops are trained in E & E, resisting interrogation is part of that. To teach resistance it is than necessary to teach various techniques in use. Does not make all of those techniques torture.
Actually despite the methods in resitance training being called simulated, they are in fact real torture techniques being employed. The difference is that they are considerd to be "simulated situations" becuase they do them in an academic setting under strict monitoring and halt everything at the first signs of any real distress with "administrative time outs" and "safe words" for all the participants. Its all very SSC & RACK just like bdsm is supposed to be in a way.
If however such methods were employed by our police they would be subject to censure or legal aprobation.
This statement does not mean I condone torture, just that I find much of what people have been claiming as torture to not be. Were that the xcase every police department engages in such activity daily.