ideals '' The president added that any congressional `` accounting of what took place '' should be done `` in a bipartisan fashion outside of the typical hearing process that can sometimes break down ... entirely along party lines . '' It is important , he said , for the `` American people to feel as if this is not being dealt with to provide one side or another political advantage . '' Obama 's remarks came five days after the administration released four Bush-era memos detailing the use of terror interrogations such as waterboarding , a technique used to simulate drowning . One memo showed that CIA interrogators used waterboarding -- which Obama has called torture -- at least 266 times on two top al Qaeda suspects . Obama reiterated his belief that he did not think it is appropriate to prosecute those CIA officials and others who carried out the interrogations in question . `` This has been a difficult chapter in our history and one of -LSB- my -RSB- tougher decisions , '' he added . The techniques listed in memos `` reflected ... us losing our moral bearings . '' The president 's apparent willingness to
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama on Tuesday left open the possibility of criminal prosecution for Bush administration officials who drew up the legal basis for interrogation techniques that many view as torture . President Obama says any congressional investigation should be conducted in a bipartisan fashion . Obama said it will be up to Attorney General Eric Holder to decide whether or not to prosecute the former officials . `` With respect to those who formulated those legal decisions , I would say that is going to be more a decision for the attorney general within the parameter of various laws , and I do n't want to prejudge that , '' Obama said during a meeting with Jordan 's King Abdullah at the White House . `` There 's a host of very complicated issues involved there . As a general deal , I think we should be looking forward and not backward . `` I do worry about this getting so politicized that we can not function effectively , and it hampers our ability to carry out critical national security operations . '' Watch as Obama says U.S. can be protected and live up to its