I couldn't figure out why Bush caved so suddenly on the torture bill, but now that I know why, I feel pretty silly for not thinking of it sooner.
He was fine with signing the bill because he never intended to follow the law anyway!
From the Boston Globe:
When President Bush last week signed the bill outlawing the torture of detainees, he quietly reserved the right to bypass the law under his powers as commander in chief.
After approving the bill last Friday, Bush issued a ''signing statement" -- an official document in which a president lays out his interpretation of a new law -- declaring that he will view the interrogation limits in the context of his broader powers to protect national security. This means Bush believes he can waive the restrictions, the White House and legal specialists said.
I'm certainly no happier for knowing the truth, but at least the world makes sense again?