Isn't this like the definition of torture?

I'm serious.

Fran Townsend, White House Homeland Security Adviser describes "the program" to Wolf Blitzer (my italics):

Ok, let's back up and be very clear. You have heard Dana Perino say it today, you've heard the president say it numerous times, the United States does not torture. Do we have a program? Yes, we do. ... We start with the least harsh measures first. It stops after -- if someone becomes cooperative. ... We begin, as I said, Wolf, we begin with the least harsh methods first. There has to be an interrogation plan, it has to be approved by senior folks in the CIA. There's got to be reports and monitoring after each interrogation session, and when detainees are cooperative, the interrogation tactics stop and it turns into a debriefing.

Why are Jon Stewart and Dan Froomkin the only ones pointing out that that's how torture works. You start small and keep ratcheting it up until the victi detainee "becomes cooperative".