The Judas Number - 30 - Pieces of Silver - 2

Two years ago on this date we discussed a mysterious number that kept repeating itself in the reports from Pentagonia, Capitol of Bullshitistan, concerning events in Afghanistan.

That number was 30.

We don't see than number any more, except when we hear how many years the generals want to stay there.

Or perhaps how many times the President of Afghanistan has said he would side with Pakistan (or the Taliban?) in a war against the United States.

We revisit these stories ever so often to show how the behind the scenes institutions that work in the shadows are more permanent than administrations or congresses.

Read the story between the lines:

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How about a Christmas story?

Remember the story of Jesus?

I mean the one where one of his own disciples, Judas Iscariot, sold him out to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver?

The civilians of Afghanistan can relate to the number 30, because it is trivial for 30 of them to be killed by Americans, who are there to teach them to be civil, modern, and democratic.

Yep, if any thing like serious killing is going to go on (like killing more than 30 Afghanis at a time) there must be permission given by the Secretary of State as a matter of law.

See, we are a nation of laws, which makes us exceptional, hence American exceptionalism.

The Afghanis don't know how lucky they are to have a great progressive American Commander in Chief pulling for them do they?

He is sending the Judas number 30 more thousand of those who kill 30 at a time, praise General Judas.

Well you know that law stuff always has loopholes, so have you noticed that when a bunch of Afghanis are killed these days there are always about 30 Afghani civilians killed?

You haven't?

Now that is some seriously exact killing folks, legal, exceptional, and fully Judas. All the military needs to do is report "30" civilians for it to be defined as trivial, exact killing.

But that being said, can you believe that some ingrates think the 30 number is being fudged? Yes it is true:

On Monday, the anonymous blogger Security Crank noticed something interesting: all the U.S. and NATO airstrikes in Afghanistan seemingly kill exactly 30 people every time. How can that be?

(Air America). How unpatriotic can some people get? Jesus would not be happy with them, pass the ammo, 30 boxes please, and learn what to notice, and what not to notice.

That security crank who is 30 challenged even said:

But look, hopping onto Google News and typing “30 Taliban” or “30 suspected militants” brings up literally dozens of stories each year, stretching back at least to 2005. Indeed, thirty seems to be the magic number when it comes to arresting or killing off Taliban and other militant fighters in Afghanistan.

(Security Crank, [or GodlikeProd or Agonist]). As if that arithmetic of insubordination could not be topped, some one down in sweet home Alabama noticed the same thing:

Last August my piece Around the Hindu Kush, 30 is a Magic Number quoted 16 media items about different incidents in Afghanistan between February 2006 and August 2008. Each of those incidents involved "30 militants", "30 insurgents" or "30 enemies".

Since then the number 30 has not lost its magic. Here is an update with 18 incidents since August last year all of which involve the magic number:

(Moon of Alabama). That is Judas Priest ghastly to notice things like that with an unfaithful questioning mind. Doubt is of the devil!

Don't these dissidents know it is not a matter of magic, it is a matter of biblical proportions, as our high priest in chief explained to the French Fry dude?

Yes, our Judas Priest in Chief has specified a democratic number of 30 as the reason these things happen this way.

This biblical 30 is done so our wars are always just, and those we are fighting are always evil. Isn't that special? Isn't that magic!

It is a biblical proportion that should be told during Christmas Time, the season of heavenly peace we are bringing to lucky nations everywhere.

Notice the holy official foundation for this principle of Judas 30 law:

We don't know much about how it works, but in 2007, Marc Garlasco, the Pentagon's former chief of high-value targeting, offered a glimpse when he told Salon magazine that in 2003, "the magic number was 30." That meant that if an attack was anticipated to kill more than 30 civilians, it needed the explicit approval of then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld or President George W. Bush. If the expected civilian death toll was less than 30, the strike could be OKd by the legal and military commanders on the ground.

(LA Times). Hey detractors, you do know the meaning of "30 is ok" don't you? It means don't bother us with details of minor imperfection. Grace and forgiveness are the values of disciples of Christ doncha know?

This is sophisticated foreign policy based upon the King James Bible, which was good enough for Jesus, so it is also good enough for all our saintly body counters.

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