Torture, part 2

I've just received an email from Amnesty International on the new torture legislation being negotiated between the US Senate and White House. The legislation allows sexual abuse such as forcing prisoners to strip and dance naked as part of interrogations and redefines rape and sexual abuse:

the new bill could make prosecution for rape and sexual assault more difficult by requiring proof of specific intent to commit the crime, something generally hard to prove in cases of rape or sexual assault

I know that governments have secretly sanctioned all sorts of horrible things in the past (and present) but that doesn't make it right. I find it terrifying that the wealthiest most powerful country in the world is taking away the shame that would have previously been associated with torturing prisoners. How can we claim to be 'fighting the war on terror' when we are instilling it?