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[RoKKeR]

http://cnn.it/2obEVmo

A GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb — nicknamed the "Mother of All Bombs" (MOAB) — was dropped in at 7 p.m. local time Thursday, sources said.

This is the first time a MOAB has been used in the battlefield, according to the US officials.

Military sources said the target was ISIS tunnels and personnel in the Achin district of the Nangarhar province. The military is currently assessing the damage.

Here is the MOAB: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9H50tHiHjs

Lot of hyperbole here. It's not like they dropped this on a town.

Its essentially a large bomb that doesn't penetrate but relies on a massive concussive force that can be amplified by canyons and caves. If you find an ISIS base spread over a large area in a canyon you drop this to wipe out the base. If you find that they are spread out in caves you drop this outside to allow the concussive force to go down the tunnels. This is used on cave systems that can't be penetrated by traditional penetrating weapons.

This was dropped on a cave complex.

The only other way to clear out an area like this is to send boots on the ground and hope they find all the hiding spots. I guess that is what people would prefer?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/us-drops-mother-bombs-afghanistan-largest-nuclear-weapon/story?id=46778853

 

[frontovik]

Historical moment?

 

[HStallion]

Is this the same weapon that weapon the Russians have that isn't a Nuke but the second "best" thing?

 

[Xando]

Someone got a 25 kill streak?

 

[Guevara]

possible bomb area?

 

[DarkLordMalik]

Jesus christ. How is this not reported widely? I don't remember seeing it in news.

 

[Amir0x]

So we're already escalating the use of insane weaponry to this point in Trump's administration, 80 or so days in.

I can't wait to see what day 900 looks like!

This weapon has a blast radius of ONE MILE. This is not something we should be using on ISIS targets at this stage.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Wasn't this in Metal Gear

 

[echoshifting]

Is this the same weapon that weapon the Russians have that isn't a Nuke but the second "best" thing?

You're probably thinking of the FOAB.

It's four times as powerful as a MOAB.

 

[soundscream]

Historical moment?

Im pretty sure it was used in Afghanistan before, during the tora bora fighting.

Edit: actually it was a Daisy Cutter described as a Massive Ordinance Air Bomb

 

[The Technomancer]

I...need to wait for more information to process a reaction to this

 

[Netherscourge]

Christ, I hope they hit actual ISIS soldiers and not civilians.

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

So we're already escalating the use of insane weaponry to this point in Trump's administration, 80 or so days in.

I can't wait to see what day 900 looks like!

If there is a god, he won't be president at day 900.

 

[Kornoponing]

possible bomb area?

According to the Youtube vid it's a mile across...

 

[Sunster]

waiting on those civilian casualty numbers

 

[Verelios]

Uh...why am I JUST hearing about this? Christ, this is frightening.

 

[jfkgoblue]

Ummm, I don't know how to react to this

 

[Netherscourge]

Is this the same weapon that weapon the Russians have that isn't a Nuke but the second "best" thing?

A MOAB is basically a huge pallet with tons of TNT strapped to it.

EDIT - actually, I may be thinking of a different bomb.

 

[Allforce]

Jesus christ. How is this not reported widely? I don't remember seeing it in news.

I mean...it just happened and is breaking news? Every single website and news channel isn't going to cut in simultaneously to report on a bomb being used on ISIS.

 

[levious]

Is this the same weapon that weapon the Russians have that isn't a Nuke but the second "best" thing?

The tsar bomba?

 

[radios shipping overview]

How established is ISIS in Afghanistan? Are they allied with Taliban?

 

[ohyouagain]

This is happening in my country for fuck's sake.

 

[UnObtainium17]

Christ, I hope they hit actual ISIS soldiers and not civilians.

I hope so.. but how could we really know the damn thing clears everything within the mile it exploded

 

[Cat Party]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that we're using this totally unnecessary piece of America Fuck Yeah weaponry while Trump is flailing domestically.

 

[Amir0x]

This is happening in my country for fuck's sake.

You live in Afghanistan!?

 

[Mariolee]

But at least Trump isn't a warhawk right?

Jeez.

 

[bennywhatever]

Leaked image of the MOAB:

But seriously, this is very crazy. Hope it doesn't start a precedent.

 

[PixelatedBookake]

I hope no innocents were harmed but the chances of that are slim.

 

[One Eyed Willy]

boom.gif

 

[Killer Queen]

The tsar bomba?

Tsar Bomba is the biggest nuke ever detonated.

 

[Tacitus_]

The tsar bomba?

That's a nuclear bomb. FAB/MOAB are regular bombs.

 

[BY2K]

What kind of cake was it this time?

 

[Pandora012]

Yeah, what could go wrong?

 

[ahoyhoy]

No way a good amount of civilians weren't killed in this strike unless they had VERY solid Intel that all the residents of an isolated camp were active ISIS insurgents.

Really bizarre and probably fucked up move.

 

[IMGF]

Trump making sure his wave of positive press continues by continuing the war games. I knew the moment he fired those missiles he'd escalate to using something bigger. He's already using weapons just shy of being nuclear.

This is terrifying.

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

Pretty sure Trump has just turned all military action over to the generals who just wanna use their toys and raze their enemies to the ground without care for consequence.

 

[Jezbollah]

The tsar bomba?

Err. The Tsar Bomba is a nuke. A pretty big one. Biggest ever, in fact. And scary as fuck.

This MOAB is old news. They used them years ago. Its only historic in that its being used against ISIL.

I'd say the Brimstone deserves far more attention.

 

[iMax]

Uh...why am I JUST hearing about this? Christ, this is frightening.

Well it only happened just over an hour ago.

 

[reKon]

my heart dropped for a second. I thought that it said dropped largest nuclear bomb

 

[Kyzer]

apparently a good choice to penetrate caves and tunnels for a remote target with no civilians

but I cant help but feel like this was also a message to everyone else in the world...

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Pretty sure Trump has just turned all military action over to the generals who just wanna use their toys and raze their enemies to the ground without care for consequence.

I think hes just trying to get out of a rough news cycle.

 

[wamberz1]

my heart dropped for a second. I thought that it said dropped largest nuclear bomb

Same. Got legit terrified for a second.

 

[ohyouagain]

You live in Afghanistan!?

No. I left, was a refugee and then got citizenship in the West years ago but.. how can I not sympathize when I hear such things. This is insane.

 

[Paltheos]

Allot of people going nuts, but something to bear in mind is that this only a single bomb, not a whole bombardment, and that said I'm having a tough time finding footage or details on how wide and destructive the blast actually is.

 

[Lucky Forward]

What kind of cake was it this time?

I LOL'ed.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Jesus christ. How is this not reported widely? I don't remember seeing it in news.

It just happened in the past few hours

 

[Principate]

So we're already escalating the use of insane weaponry to this point in Trump's administration, 80 or so days in.

I can't wait to see what day 900 looks like!

This weapon has a blast radius of ONE MILE. This is not something we should be using on ISIS targets at this stage.

Jesus Christ 1 mile. US you fucking idiots how could you irresponsibly elect such a man. Goddammit.

 

[super-heated plasma]

If all it did was take out ISIS targets, I'm all for it. Why threaten our soldiers lives to try and take them out in an extended firefight, or risk many escaping from a conventional bombing where they could live to rape and murder another day? As long as the bomb is not nuclear and no innocents lives are lost, I don't have an issue.

 

[Gnome Scat]

Compensating.

 

[HStallion]

Pretty sure Trump has just turned all military action over to the generals who just wanna use their toys and raze their enemies to the ground without care for consequence.

A lot of generals don't want to do this. Most of the generals still have a very clear memory of what happened in Iraq and Afghanistan. McMaster himself is said to be very respectful of Muslims and thinks treating them as dangerous and painting them as the enemy is the stupidest thing the US could do as we have to work with these people after the fighting is over.