Bush Administration: We do not torture. . . . much.

In an effort to convince the Senate not to pass legislation that would prevent the CIA from using “enhanced” interrogation techniques — torture — the Bush Administration has now changed its tune from, “We do not torture,” to something more like: we do not torture or use official cruelty very much and have stopped using one of the most objectionable techniques.

Here’s a report from Reuters on CIA Director Michael Hayden’s testimony before the Sentate Intelligence Committee today. For the first time, Hayden named the three men subjected to waterboarding by the CIA and he testified that the CIA’s detention and interrogation program has held fewer than 100 people, a smaller subset of whom have been on the receiving end of the “enhanced” techniques.

Basically, General Hayden’s argument is that the Senate shouldn’t do anything to rein in the CIA because its law breaking has been relatively limited.

Persuaded? Hard to imagine the Senate will be either.