The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word JAWING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
J
A
W
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More clues leading to the result JAWING
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Maybe doing better than warring" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case maybe doing better than warring = jawing.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does JAWING mean?
JAWING verb- To assail or abuse by scolding.
- To scold; to clamor.
- To talk; to converse.
- (of a ball) To stick in the jaws of a pocket.
- A scolding.