Lincoln was in a tough spot, what he did might have been correct and has certainly turned out well. Anyway I don't want this thread to get hijacked by a debate over what Lincoln should or shouldn't have done, because that instance of suspension of habeas corpus is so completely different to the present day. Lincoln was tackling a
civil war. The current government is dealing with nothing but a moderate threat of occasional terrorist attacks and is already well equipped to tackle the problem without ignoring basic civil liberties. Plus, the Republican administration has already shown a propensity for enthusiastically abusing these sorts of powers based on pretty flimsy evidence; see for instance
Maher Arar and
Jose Padilla.