Discounting life: necropolitical law, culture, and the long war on terror.

In the article "Discounting life: necropolitical law, culture, and the long war on terror," Jothie Rajah explores the legal justifications for killing in the 'war on terror' and the interaction between codified laws and images, texts, and perceptions. Rajah argues that the 'war on terror' logic of exception amplifies and supercharges the law, leading to a 'hyperbolic and excessive legality.' The author analyzes six different texts, including the USA PATRIOT Act, the killing of Osama bin Laden, and the deployment of the Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) in Afghanistan, to showcase how legal justifications can take different journeys but arrive at a common destination. Rajah historicizes the 'war on terror' as a 'necropolitical continuum' and hopes that critical engagement with the law may lead to an 'end to the discounting of life.' [Extracted from the article]