Now it all makes sense. (For awhile, I was thinking this was a Rove-ian ploy--a way to let Republicans show their "independence" by standing up to Bush for once. Fat chance!) Just read between the lines of this story from AP (Mr. Subliminal in italics):

The Bush administration secretly required a company in the United Arab Emirates to cooperate with future U.S. investigations [i.e., extraordinary renditions and torture] before approving its takeover of operations at six American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. It chose not to impose other, routine restrictions.

How very curious. I wonder what the quid pro quo was?

The administration did not require Dubai Ports to keep copies of business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to court orders.

How curious. I wonder [torture] why not?

It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate U.S. government requests.

How curious. I wonder why not [torture]?

Outside legal experts said such obligations are routinely attached to U.S. approvals of foreign sales in other industries.

Another Bush end run round the law. Oh, but He says it's legal, so that's OK!

And how do we know this? Why, because Bush disclosed secret documents! When will the hearings be held? IOKIYAR!

The conditions involving the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. were detailed in U.S. documents marked "confidential." Such records are regularly guarded as trade secrets, and it is highly unusual for them to be made public.

How curious. I wonder if they disclosed all the documents?

In Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice said the agreement was thoroughly vetted. "We have to maintain a principle that it doesn't matter where in the world one of these purchases is coming from," Rice said Wednesday. She described the United Arab Emirates as "a good partner [torture]in the war on terrorism."

Good partners except when they were OBL's guests, of course. But what's a little playing both ends against the middle among friends?

Look. There's only one reason Bush is putting this operation outside US law, and that's that what he's doing would break the law inside the US. Just like Gitmo, Bagram AFB, etc. That spells torture.

UPDATE Froomkin asks:

One question that kept coming up yesterday: Why is this so important to Bush? There's a lot of speculation below. Bush himself says it's about fair play. Some critics suggest he puts free-market corporate values ahead of literally everything else. Or could it be that the White House is concerned that any sign of backing down to Congress on anything right now would be seen as the official start of its slide into lame-duck status?

None of the above. It's torture.