In related news, Human Rights Watch has released its 2006 World Report finding:

New evidence demonstrated in 2005 that torture and mistreatment have been a deliberate part of the Bush administration’s counterterrorism strategy, undermining the global defense of human rights.

The evidence showed that abusive interrogation cannot be reduced to the misdeeds of a few low-ranking soldiers, but was a conscious policy choice by senior U.S. government officials. The policy has hampered Washington's ability to cajole or pressure other states into respecting international law, said the 532-page volume's introductory essay.

HRW's report also criticizes other countries:

Many countries used the “war on terrorism” to attack their political opponents, branding them as “Islamic terrorists,” and the world report documents many serious abuses outside the fight against terrorism.

The Administration's feeble response:

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday he had seen news accounts only of the report but rejected its conclusions. "It appears to be based more on a political agenda than facts," he said.