Why do liberals traditionally endorse national security?

Answer 1

While many liberals are opposed to what they see as unnecessary wars, liberals absolutely do understand the importance of a stable society, and they know that without it, their views (and the views of anyone else who may represent a different way of thinking) could easily be banned. Thus, most liberals (like most conservatives) would endorse national security because they agree that the rule of law is central, and that maintaining order is important in a country. However, the two ideologies (liberal versus conservative) differ in how best to achieve national security. In other words, liberals will certainly support protecting their country, but they tend to also be concerned about civil liberties. They want the country to be safe, but they also want freedom of expression to be preserved, and they object to a government claiming it needs to take away people's rights in the name of keeping the country secure.