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Tony King (Letters, 21 August) is wrong to dismiss Terence Kealey's article on American torture. It is true other Western countries have used torture, but never as official policy. Under George W. Bush's mismanagement, the US is now openly a torture state, having abandoned the Geneva Convention and the civilised norms that originated with the great Abraham Lincoln.

For example, the US uses the euphemistically named waterboarding on defenceless detainees. If anyone does not think that this is torture, 90 seconds being held under water would quickly dispel their illusion. Prisoners should never be subjected to any abuse whatsoever. Diplomatic pressure needs to be put on to the next US president to restore civilisation in this respect.

Alistair Duff, Cumbernauld.