The Usurper: Isn't it true that in certain cases that have gone up to court that when it has been shown sleep deprivation has been used to gain a 'confession' the case has been thrown out of court.

As for water boarding... "is a form of torture[1][2] consisting of immobilizing the victim on his or her back with the head inclined downwards, and then pouring water over the face and into the breathing passages. By forced suffocation and inhalation of water the subject experiences drowning and is caused to believe they are about to die."

I would have thought with all the drugs and lie detectors, etc to hand.. (maybe a psychic or two) that such old methods dating back to the Spanish Inquisition would no longer be needed or morally justifiable, especially as the effects of such torture can last years psychologically.

The effects (extreme pain, dry drowning, damage to lungs, brain damage from oxygen deprivation, other physical injuries including broken bones due to struggling against restraints)....... are ... well, if any gov thinks these are legal then they really need to look at how far in to the abyss they have fallen.