ABU GHRAIB: NOT "TORTURE"?

In responding to a question during a public debate, Republican Congressman Chris Shays (CT) states that the Abu Ghraib scandal didn't amount to torture but was rather simply a "sex ring" headed by some National Guard troops.

Here's the video from the debate:

His words: "I have seen what happened in Abu Ghraib, and Abu Ghraib was not torture..."

See, everything is okay people... America doesn't torture. Whew. For a second there I thought our "moral high ground" was in trouble.

Now let's take a look at this famous photo from that very same scandal:
As you can see the subject is wearing some sort of hood/shawl combo, standing on a box, and seems to be hooked up to some electrical wires. Which begs the question, "Just what kind of sex is Shays having to define this as a 'sex ring'?"

Is this sex?
I am constantly amazed at how these idiots can make such stupid statements even after the evidence has been made public. I would really like Shays to go though every picture from this scandal and have the balls to say that each instance did not amount to torture. I would guarantee you that if these detainees (pictured above) were American soldiers... the Congressman's definition of "torture" would instantly change.

Congrats to Shays on such a "snappy answer" though.