If we abstract from the arbitrary restriction to official and the arbitrarily exclusions of lawful sanctions.
The convention defines torture as a function of intention, pain and purpose. The conventions name implies that torture is cruel, inhuman or degrading. The 1975 declaration founded also aggravated and deliberate. Do these elements distinguish the new methods from torture, pain in the specified intent is only pain during interrogation. The new techniques inflict less pain during interrogation and say the Torpedo. But harm from the new as from the old techniques last far beyond interrogation and is as severe if not more so. It does not ordinarily contribute to the purposes of interrogation. Further severe pain or suffering, and the Bush's administrations benchmark of the pain of organ failure does not make perspicuous or serious.