LONDON — In his recently published self-justifying and self-congratulatory memoir "Decision Points," former U.S. president George W. Bush declared that the waterboarding of al-Qaida suspects, which he had authorized, was justified because the information obtained from the suspects had been instrumental in preventing attacks on London's Heathrow airport and Canary Wharf offices.
No member of the present British government or of the former Labour party administration has been able to confirm the truth of this allegation. Nor has there been any confirmation from British intelligence sources.
Waterboarding is a form of torture. It is immoral and contrary to U.N. agreements to which the United States has adhered. Both the present and former British administrations have firmly ruled out the use of torture in interrogations or other procedures as has President Barack Obama.