bananafactory
Banned
I'm not saying it is or isn't. I don't think any of us have enough information to intelligently critique this.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
CNN: US drops its largest conventional bomb (MOAB) on ISIS target in Afghanistan
- Thread starter RoKKeR
- Start date
- Status
I'm not saying it is or isn't. I don't think any of us have enough information to intelligently critique this.
echoshifting
Banned
beato_angelico
Member
Evangelion had them
Dreams-Visions
Member
Bold.
Let's see how this plays out.
Let's see how this plays out.
Mile wide blast radiuses would take out civilians believe me. Bigly.
Netherscourge
Banned
Based on Geneva convention treaties, bombs are legit to use so long as they are designed to kill immediately, and not cause long-term pain, suffering or death.
So, a bomb with a 1-mile radius is OK, so long as it's designed to kill in one blast, and doesn't have any lingering effects. No radiation, poison, biological or toxic chemicals allowed.
It's more "humane" warfare.
So, a bomb with a 1-mile radius is OK, so long as it's designed to kill in one blast, and doesn't have any lingering effects. No radiation, poison, biological or toxic chemicals allowed.
It's more "humane" warfare.
Man, how did I miss this lol.
GiantBombGamer
Member
This man is not leaving office without dropping a nuke. Its going to happen, just so he can say he did it.
There isn't a good standard definition for WMD. Many go by the NBC categories (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical). The US Military definition is:
any weapon or device that is intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of:- toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors
- a disease organism
- radiation or radioactivity[33]
Others use a more broad definition. It would qualify under any of the broader non NBC definitions.
As to why we don't have bigger bombs.. they just aren't all that useful. Better to have more tactical, discriminate ordinances. Even with out nuclear array, we long ago shifted to more tactical nukes.
GuessMyUserName
Member
Launching missiles was the only action Trump made that got lavishing praise from the media. As Trump understands things now: bomb people, get popular.
RPGCrazied
Member
I guess that is what he is doing to try and raise those pathetic approval rating numbers. That is why he also flip flopped on NATO and China all in one day. The man is a mess.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
We killed 30 civilians in Yemen for a 7 year old videotape. I have my reservations about this administration's use of precise intelligence.
LookAtMeGo
Member
Hes gota be remembered somehow. Dropping a nuke is probably a more enticing legacy to him than being remembered for his incompitence of running a country.
Beer Monkey
Member
Of course, veterans hospitals worldwide are full of people suffering long term from every kind of bomb imaginable.
Holy shit.
Yeah, but the Russians have a larger one. But it is crazy that it is so devastating that it isn't nuclear but evaporates everything instantly. These thermobaric bombs are crazy and really highlight the first time it has been used in a war situation. The pressure cloud followed by the explosion would eradicate anything much like a nuclear weapon.
I agree. It's too early. Was there civilians in the area? What sort of damage was done to the surrounding land that could be important? Was the bombing effective?
Yea they have the 100Mt that was designed, but the 50Mt was tested. Also it's freaky since that was back in 1961.....who knows what's going on now.
CrimzonSamurai
Member
He didn't see any bump in approval ratings from the missile strike.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I mean, in principal yeah, but Hillary genuinely was more hawkish than the standard dem party line, unfortunately.
That said, her cabinet would inarguably have been better suited to and more experienced managing this kind of shit, so it's really just choosing between shitty conflicts (trump) or higher quality conflicts, which are still shit (Hillary).
Steeped in a Sea of Games
Member
CBS is claiming, "The Afghanistan strike had been in the works for a number of months. The weapon was brought into Afghanistan specifically for this mission, Martin reports."
Skinny Pete
Banned
Jesus that's one crazy ass bomb.
Netherscourge
Banned
Psychological effects are excluded.
Thats during a time of war, were not war. Its also a violation of international law to attack another country without provocation.
I think that a lot of people are hearing that 1-mile blast radius, and picturing total destruction within that circle.
Here's the blast radius for a 10kT nuclear explosion (1000x the energy of this bomb)
Given that this is a conventional bomb, and radiation isn't a factor, most of that 1-mile blast radius wouldn't be fatal. Especially in a remote area where you don't have to worry about a shower of glass.
I think that this was likely a bit of a publicity stunt considering how long these bombs have been shelved, and I'm not sure how effective the random bombing is in fighting terrorism, but that's a separate matter.
Here's the blast radius for a 10kT nuclear explosion (1000x the energy of this bomb)
Given that this is a conventional bomb, and radiation isn't a factor, most of that 1-mile blast radius wouldn't be fatal. Especially in a remote area where you don't have to worry about a shower of glass.
I think that this was likely a bit of a publicity stunt considering how long these bombs have been shelved, and I'm not sure how effective the random bombing is in fighting terrorism, but that's a separate matter.
E-Cat
Member
Have there even been any polls yet?
cartoon_soldier
Member
Many.
Beer Monkey
Member
I'm not just talking psychological.
Not everybody is lucky enough to be in the middle of the blast.
ryutaro's mama
Member
This isn't even remotely funny.
wesleyshark
Banned
Sean Spicer 2 min warning
Raylan Targaryen
Member
We just killed 18 allies. You think US gives a shit? If you're brown you're a terrorist. The term civilian doesn't apply to people of that skin color
Yeah that image posted earlier is not a MOAB. This is a MOAB test, but it's hard to appreciate the scale imho...
video (disclaimer: this is a military channel so expect the bomb to be presented with lots of wow-cool pizzazz)
hmm that claims the blast radius is "only" 450ft.
E-Cat
Member
Didn't catch any new threads on GAF. If his approval rating didn't rise, I'm genuinely surprised. Congratulations, I guess?
he may not give a shit about approval ratings when he can flip on the news and hear all about how presidential he now is
Yeah, poor ISIS. What did they ever do to the world?
bananafactory
Banned
Additionally, what specifically was the target and how important is it to the operation of ISIS.
All factors to consider.
wesleyshark
Banned
Spicey briefing
E-Cat
Member
Right. It's only 'fake news' when it's hurting his ego.
super-heated plasma
Member
Not really. There are miles and miles of unpopulated land in every country. Even the US. Believe me I've driven through them multiple times. Afghanistan I'm sure has even bigger stretches.
I wouldn't be surprised if Trump didn't even knew about this and people here are blaming him. People need to focus, the US does this with or without Trump in charge. After all, it was Obama that ordered a single strike with 108 bombs in Lybia just before leaving office (sent directly from the US by B-2 as a way of showing Russia their power).
TwntyOneTwlv
Member
And 21kT is NOTHING. The US and the USSR quickly started developing thermonuclear weapons capable of yields in the megaton range, or MILLIONS of times more powerful than this bomb.
Nuclear weapons are terrifying on an existential level.
Netherscourge
Banned
He'll probably roll out a High School A/V cart to play the MOAB explosion video on a VCR.
- Status