I would interpret "as a melee attack" to mean that it is identical to all other melee attacks except where the rules note differently. If there were no table, the sunder would not have any rules noting differently. Since there is a table, I understand Hyp's interpretation as a possible interpretation where the table and text are not in conflict.
By this logic, you could do a Disarm and Sunder at the same time, because each one is a melee attack.
You know what, that would in fact be a valid interpretation as far as I can see if you want to bend it enough. Another interpretation would be that when you "use" a melee attack it can not be "used" for anything else.
Look at this quote found
here:
When your attack succeeds, you deal damage. The type of weapon used determines the amount of damage you deal. Effects that modify weapon damage apply to unarmed strikes and the natural physical attack forms of creatures.
Thus all successful attacks (regular attacks, disarms, sunders, bull rushes, etc) deal damage based on the weapon used. Please point out the rule to me that indicates a successful disarm does not deal damage.
All rules require some interpretation. It is not a stretch to believe that "melee attack" in one section of the rule book means the same thing as "melee attack" in another section of the rule book, unless there is other information indicating they are not the same.
I believe the analysis in this thread is at least 10 times more rigorous than the collective analysis put into writing the sunder rules in the first place. At some point, there has to be something similar to the "beyond a reasonable doubt" for dungeons and dragons. Rules analysis can only be taken as far as determining all possible interpretations the authors might reasonably intended at which point the remaining interpretations are equally valid.
Edit: By the way, if you all wouldn't mind putting your collective brain power into helping me answer a
question regarding bull rush and charging, I would appreciate it. My thread feels lonely and surely this topic is at least newer than sunder.