US drops largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan

[Independent voter]

Using excessively large blasts just for the hell of it does nothing to win wars, but it does make war more expensive, which makes it easier for the US to "lose" them

You have no idea how rich we are. California alone is richer than France.

[Kathandira]

While I think ISIS is absolutely abhorrent - will this count as an attack on ISIS, or an attack on Afghanistan? More to the point, is this considered an act of war? I am not trying to be nonsensical; I am truly trying to figure it out.

I would see it as an act of war, same as the US bombing Syria.

[ParanoiD84]

I hope they wrote something funny on the bomb.

[Shakari]

How do you know it was for nothing?

Personally, I don't agree with any of our military policies. I think these little conflicts are silly, a waste of time and we don't get anything out of them.

However, after seeing the rules of engagement under Obama- I felt really bad for the soldiers over there as their hands were very dangerously tied and I felt they were put at greater risk.

I feel they don't deserve that. They are people that volunteered to fight for their country. They deserve better than to be sent to some hell hole and having to fight the enemy with their hands tied behind their back, putting their lives in even greater danger.

Not only that, but you can't win with your hands tied behind your back. So, to my thinking, we are always garunteed a loss in these "conflicts."

It is nice to (maybe) see a change of policy. Hopefully we can wrap up these conflicts, get our men home and learn from these mistakes. I have a feeling the military/ industrial complex doesn't want that though - so we probably won't see it.

The thing you have to realise here is the so called "war on terror" or against terrorism can never be won only fought... the only option a smaller force with lesser tech has against a superior force is terroism and due to its nature as long as there's people fighting for the cause all that can be done to combat it where possible and minimise the damage they cause and likewise the terrorist cannot win either only cause damage.
Until both sides actually realise that neither side can actually win, sit down and hammer out an agreed peace its likely to just go on and on.

The problem here with ISIS is its religion based rather than territorial in nature, which makes any agreed peace unlikely.

[Breccia]

While I think ISIS is absolutely abhorrent - will this count as an attack on ISIS, or an attack on Afghanistan? More to the point, is this considered an act of war? I am not trying to be nonsensical; I am truly trying to figure it out.

It depends on whether or not Afghanistan was consulted on the issue. Information is lacking.

[Venant]

If the goal is to be a show of power to other nations, yes.

Yes, we must show them our true power...

[Fluffernut]

It depends on whether or not Afghanistan was consulted on the issue. Information is lacking.

This was my thought as well. Last I checked, and it was a while ago, we were allied with Afghanistan...correct?

[NED funded]

You have no idea how rich we are. California alone is richer than France.

I did not write that.

[Ilir]

The bombs not meant for ISIS, its for others to see.

quoted for truth

[Stop Pretending]

While I think ISIS is absolutely abhorrent - will this count as an attack on ISIS, or an attack on Afghanistan? More to the point, is this considered an act of war? I am not trying to be nonsensical; I am truly trying to figure it out.

Afghanistan has given the US permission to operate within its territory.

[Breccia]

This was my thought as well. Last I checked, and it was a while ago, we were allied with Afghanistan...correct?

We were until at least today, yes. It is quite possible we conferred with their military and used this bomb to try to collapse tunnels to contain them.

But this still smacks of "keep using explosives until my poll numbers go up".

[Fluffernut]

Afghanistan has given the US permission to operate within its territory.

Thanks. 10chars

[Trollhammer]

Bomb designed to destroy caves in the middle of the desert used to destroy caves in the middle of the desert.. COLOUR ME SHOCKED!

Nice use of the word "Nuclear" in the title though from the media.. Gotta keep that fear mongering up.

[Deleted]

My firstt hought: they are fieldtesting it because they will use them in North Korea soon.

[Kujako]

MOAB is ~11 tons of TNT, it's roughly half the yield of one of our smallest tactical nukes and about the same size on the smaller end of the Davy Crockett bazooka-fired nuke.

It would take a LOT of MOABs to reach a single fatman

By comparison, "Little Boy" was 15 kilotons of TNT.

[Zan15]

22 million dollars to destroy a cave, some isis, few citizens and a bunch of innocent people i am sure.


well i am sure this is not going to radicalize anyone...nope only positive things come out of bombing people.

[Gib Lover]

By comparison, "Little Boy" was 15 kilotons of TNT.

Yeah I'm seeing a lot of comparisons drawn on other forums between the MOAB and the bombs we dropped on Japan but there is just no comparing the two. The ONLY nuke it is comparable to is the size of a beach ball, and even that is capable of twice the yield as a MOAB.

[Orlong]

Doesnt larger bimb mean more civ casualties?

First of all, worrying about civilian casualties is how you lose wars. It takes all the effective means for winning a war off the table. We never wouldve won WW2 if we were worried about german civilians being caught up in the fighting. Winning a war requires collateral damage.

Secondly where this bomb was dropped was in the middle of the mountains and it was designed to flatten all the tunnels running through them. It wasnt dropped in a city.

[zenkai]

Using excessively large blasts just for the hell of it does nothing to win wars, but it does make war more expensive, which makes it easier for the US to "lose" them.

Dropping big ass bombs is better than dropping troops.

[Kujako]

Yeah I'm seeing a lot of comparisons drawn on other forums between the MOAB and the bombs we dropped on Japan but there is just no comparing the two. The ONLY nuke it is comparable to is the size of a beach ball, and even that is capable of twice the yield as a MOAB.

yeah, about equivalent of a Davey Crocket. Which are frankly bat-guano insane devices...