With the presence of the military in public spaces increasing and a high level of popularity for the armed forces, it is not always easy to respond to challenging questions that people pose in when faced with concerns expressed about militarism. In this briefing we explore some responses to questions about how much the armed forces should be involved in our everyday lives, how they relate to young people, and the effectiveness and consequences of military action.

1. The armed forces are an alternative to crime and poverty for many young people
2. The military needs to educate young people about what they do
3. A ‘military ethos’ is good for children and young people
4. We need to maintain a strong military capability to keep us safe
5. A strong military is needed now more than ever because of terrorism
6. It is OK for some countries to have a militarised society
7. We need to support our troops
8. The armed forces support peacekeeping and humanitarian initiatives
9. UK and US armed forces use surgical attacks