‘Mother of all bombs’ may have been a waste

Afghan policeman stand alert at the site of an explosion in Kabul on March 8, 2017. A bomb dropped in Afghanistan killed 94 terrorists. PHOTO | SHAH MARAI | AFP

What you need to know:

  • It’s also rare for nations to disclose most lethal weapons in possession.
  • Amazingly, the same officials asserted no civilians were killed.

A most intriguing event last week was the bombing by the US Air Force of a complex of tunnels reportedly used by the IS affiliate in Afghanistan using the so-called “mother of all bombs”.

Incidentally, Russia claims to have a “partner” of sort: the “father of all bombs.”

Back to the “mother”. Her official name is GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb.

She’s a beauty 10-metre-long, one in diameter, weighs 9,797 kilogramme — 8,000 of it ammo.

LETHAL WEAPONS
As her nickname misapplies, she’s a mother of death and destruction when you consider cuddling, kissing, tenderness et al territory.

Her claim to fame since 2003 is being the most powerful non-nuclear weapon.

That needs be taken with a bit of salt flavoured with garlic. It’s generally accepted any version of a fusion based weapon remains final.

It’s also rare for nations to disclose most lethal weapons in possession.

It’s, therefore, wise to accept “the mother and father of all bombs” the US and Russian claim as smokescreens.

94 DEAD
According to the US and Afghanistan official, the bomb killed 94 IS fighters, including four commanders, destroyed ammunition and weapons in tunnels on a hillside close to the Pakistan border.

“This was the right weapon against the right target,” said Gen John Johnson, an American and commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan.

This writer doesn’t claim military expertise. Suffice to say dropping eight tons of ammo to annihilate a company and supplies doesn’t sound much of cost effectiveness.

EXPLOSION EFFECTS
Amazingly, the same officials asserted no civilians were killed.

Maybe? Anyway, the CNN quoted a witness reportedly two kilometres away summing up the damage: wife and children remained crying after the explosion.

US officials were quick to emphasize the use of the bomb — reportedly around for a while and commanders with standing authority for use when fit — were purely tactical.

That’s to dismiss any notion the action was intended to boost President Donald Trump, who has previous little to show three months in office, political fortunes.

SUCCESSFUL MISSION

Among the quick to praise the monumental bombing — it was reportedly the first time a conventional bomb less powerful than a nuclear one was used — was Trump.

A “success”, he said: another time of “America First” when you think of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai — his feuds with the US are well documented — accused the US of testing new and dangerous weapons in his country. He was partly right.

The weapon had been tested, though. This time was in a battlefield. The enemy concentration amounted to a company, until otherwise made public.

It’s truism IS and affiliates are in the league viruses in cycles in which some persons emerge and degrade the human race.

Organisation of mind, some would say souls, wins. Galore firepower — swords and spears, et al — remain peripheral.