White House says harsh questioning undermined U.S. moral authority

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday that harsh questioning tactics used on terrorism suspects and described in a Senate report undermined the moral authority of the United States around the world. Even if, as some CIA officials have said, the tactics produced useful intelligence, they still should not have been used because of the damage done to America's image, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at a press briefing. Earnest said President Barack Obama is concerned that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques "undermined America's moral authority around the world." (Reporting By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; Editing by Susan Heavey)