Read other letters about this article
Fights over language really only obscure the true fight about the underlying acts or omissions - labels don't help anyone.
I submit to you that when a society as a whole accepts "ehnanced interrogation techniques" or "pouring water down someone's nose" as acceptable ways to describe torture practices -- and when as a result there can be civilized debates on Sunday chat shows about whether this torture practice or that torture practice is acceptable -- that no, labels do help someone.
And not the good guys.
This should be talked about more, not less.