Jack Bauer and Abraham Lincoln

I was watching 24 the other night and during Jack's questioning before a Senate panel he commented that he adapted his mode and methods to best attack the terrorists. He knew that he was breaking laws and subverting rights, but it was necessary for the good of the country. My thoughts were drawn to an Abraham Lincoln quote, " Are all the laws but one to go unexecuted and the government itself go to pieces lest that one be violated." This was Lincoln's response to Chief Justice Taney's issue of a Writ of Habeas Corpus for John Merryman during the Civil War. Lincoln essentially told the Supreme Court, "Mind your own business, I'm working here." Arguably our greatest president ever completely ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court. How'd that go over today?
It seems that this season of 24 will be testing this quote. Can a group of citizens (Bill, Chloe, Tony, and Jack) operate outside of any authority to bring down terrorists? Where is that line drawn when you are no longer protecting the country but withholding others' rights? I'm really curious to see where this heads.