While true pacifists condemn all violence as equally repugnant, we Maoists do not consider self-defense or the violence of oppressed nations against imperialism to be militarism. Militarism is mostly caused by imperialism at this time. Under capitalism, it is imperialists who profit from war or its preparations. Yet, it is the proletariat that does the dying in the wars. That necessitates elimination of the capitalist class.
Militarism is one of the most important reasons to overthrow capitalism.
It even infects oppressed nations and causes them to fight each other. It is important not to let capitalists risk our lives in their ideas about war and peace or the environment. They have already had two world wars admitted by themselves in the last 100 years and they are conducting a third right now against the Third World. In other words, a seemingly small one percent annual chance of world war means eventual doom. Fire in Hiroshima flattened the city, but today's bombs are much more powerful.