The Doctrine of “Lawfare” and the Future of International Law: Law as a Means of Peace or War?

From a long time ago, law has always been considered as a means of peace and regulator of the relations between individuals and human societies. The pen of the various philosophers and thinkers involved in the field of war and peace has been ultimately stopped on the word "peace" and attempts by prominent writers such as Hugo Grotius in his book The Rights of War and Peace in order to explain the legitimate reasons of war had no purpose except to reach “peace” via the reality of “war”. The new doctrine that is changing the international relations of countries and that will extend its shadow on the purpose of law as a means of peace is the doctrine of “lawfare”. The present article, through a descriptive-analytic method and by means of content analysis, with a philosophical critique and a futuristic look, aims to illustrate the possible future of international law influenced by this doctrine. This article will conclude that in order to cope with any diversion and change in international law, by emphasizing the unity and integrity of international law; preventing its fragmentation and strengthening the concept of legal peace (Lawpeace), the theory of legal war or lawfare won’t materialize more than this.