Right decision, but it just goes to show the lack of a coherent thought process. He did considerable damage just by saying that he was going to release them.
O has been wearing Bush/Cheney like a blanket and maybe he is ready to start governing and stop campaigning to be the head of the biggest leftist/liberal agenda.
Remember that O was trained in anti-government, movement politics and he is finding out that he must go around the corner and represent America first.
Maybe O woke up this morning and figured out that he must now be a statesman and choose between lesser evils.
And perhaps he is realizing that "dancing with the one that brung ya" is suicidal and treasonous on this issue.