As I've noted before, the torture was used NOT to "gather evidence" about a supposed Iraq/al Queda link, it was used to create the intelligence that would then provide a means of manufacturing consent of Congress and the American people to grant tacit acceptance of their pre-determined plan to attack Iraq. That the information obtained through torture was going to be suspect was not relevant to the consideration of creating "actionable intelligence" (i.e. cover). They knew the evidence would be a lie, but even so, it would serve to open a path for the attack and simultaneously serve to protect the "principles" after the truth emerged. (e.g. the Weapons of Mass Destruction)--killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.