Can students learn to think critically if they are not asked to engage with critical issues? Fostering critical thinking is frequently stated as a fundamental aim of education, and yet many teachers report that they have been forbidden to discuss such critical issues as current wars, religion, and cultural differences in styles of parenting. The author presents possible topics for a critical exploration of the issue of war. War is already a major strand in the social studies curriculum, but the discussion is usually confined to political causes, leaders, battles, and the resulting rearrangement of national boundaries. Psychological issues related to war that should concern all citizens, especially the young who might join the military right out of high school, are addressed. This article is an analysis of the issues and questions raised by the author. (Contains 42 notes.)