By Pat Toensmeier

Among the threats directed at Western democracies is lawfare, the manipulation of a legal system for strategic political or military goals, by groups and individuals who seek to build support for their positions through rulings by courts and international bodies. The fallout from lawfare can be wide and damaging, ranging from restrictions on individual speech to disruption of battlefield operations. The Lawfare Project, a New York City legal think tank, monitors and raises awareness about the use of the law as a weapon of war against the West. The organization's founder and director is Brooke Goldstein, a lawyer with extensive experience in human rights law, and an award-winning filmmaker whose documentary, "The Making of a Martyr," focused on the recruitment of Palestinian children as suicide bombers. Contributing Editor Pat Toensmeier interviewed Goldstein via e-mail about lawfare and its implications for the U.S., Israel and other target nations.

Lawfare as a concept dates to the 1970s. Why is it now of concern to Western and democratic nations?

Read the full article here.