Following the experience of the “mother of bombs” by Islamic State militants in Afghanistan on April 13, their accomplices in Syria also experienced the “father of bombs” up close on September 7. Describing this type of weapon, U.S. Air Force Major General Fiscus described that “this weapon can have a strong psychological shadow on those who witness its use.” The United States and Russia have successively used such large bombs on the battlefield and quickly achieved results, but the “results” achieved by using this “intimidation” weapon outside the battlefield are the most important goals of the United States and Russia.
Who is the “mother of bombs” fangs for?
Every April, a time of fear for the Afghan government and foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s “spring offensive” often begins during this time, and the security environment for NATO bases and Afghan government forces will deteriorate sharply. For example, on April 21 this year, at least 140 people were killed in a Taliban attack on an Afghan military base, which led to the resignation of the Afghan defense minister and the chief of the army’s general staff. And the US military “sacrificed” the strongest bomb at this stall to greet the “Islamic State”, 94 militants died instantly, and then the news media greatly exaggerated the power of the bomb and the razed battlefield, all of which left a “strong psychological shadow” on the opponent, and the intention of deterring the Taliban is self-evident.
“When encountering resistance, the iron rod sweeps, the resistance increases and the iron rod is thickened”, the US military in Afghanistan seems to have begun to promote this famous Russian proverb. Hopes for more troops and stronger weapons to stabilize or even reverse the situation in Afghanistan, at least by attacking the more hardened Islamic State, also seem to be leaving room for a successful political solution to “deterrence.” But 5 months have passed, and compared to plump dreams, reality seems too skinny. The Taliban are still on the offensive, the U.S. military’s “militaristic” behavior has attracted the wrath of Afghan allies, and the frequent appearance of “internal attackers” (attackers wearing Afghan army uniforms) also proves the harm of this crude deterrence theory.
The picture shows the “mother of bombs” MOAB (far right) compared with other heavy aerial bombs, the short stubby bomb on the left is its predecessor, the BLU-82 “Daisy Cutter”, and the “father of the bomb” is a similar weapon introduced by Russia in 2007, but the size is still smaller than the MOAB.
The Russian army brightens its muscles to give preventive vaccinations to the US military?
And Russia’s use of the “father of bombs” in Syria may also have deep considerations. Since the beginning of this year, there have been frequent successes in various anti-terrorist battlefields in the Middle East, and the “Islamic State” has not only had fewer and fewer territories, but also lived more and more tightly. With the liberation of Mosul, Iraq, and the Syrian government fighting in Deir ez-Zor (Russia claims that 85% of Syria is free of terrorist organizations), by September, the Islamic State will be completely eradicated. The fruits of victory are about to ripen, the war of snatching has been quietly staged, and although all factions still carry the “banner of anti-terrorism”, the indecent eating appearance has long been exposed.
In Iraq, Kurdish forces armed and trained by the United States are planning an “independence referendum” that includes not only traditional Kurdish residential areas, but also areas controlled by Kurdish forces through the war on terror. Neighboring countries such as Iran, Syria and Turkey have come out strongly opposing a move that threatens to encourage Kurds in Iran, Syria and Turkey to follow suit. In addition, Syria’s Kurdish armed forces, with the support of the US military, quickly seized the vacuum left by the “Islamic State”, and the Syrian government forces and various opposition forces participated in the “cheese grabbing” and even “going down the mountain to pick peaches”.
As the “Islamic State” gradually declines, sooner or later the armed factions in Syria that rely on the “big brother” will “bump” together. In fact, the “big brothers” can no longer hold back. In the name of so-called “chemical weapons attacks” and “protecting allies”, the US military has attacked Syrian government bases and shot down Syrian government warplanes. Recently, in the military operation code-named “Great Dawn”, the Syrian government army recovered a large area of lost territory, breaking the blockade of Deir ez-Zor City is more called a “strategic turn”, but “wood shows in the forest, the wind will destroy it”, the more at this time, the more we must beware of the US military and the armed groups it supports “repeating the old tricks” and stabbing in the back, Russia drops the “father of bombs” on the battlefield to show its determination, more like giving the opponent a “preventive shot” – reaching out will be caught.
The picture shows the explosion of Russia’s “father of bombs”.
Who does “slaughter chicken” deter?
Whether it is the “mother of bombs” or the “father of bombs”, they need large aircraft to drop, preliminary preparation and deployment are quite laborious, the “mother of bombs” dropped by the US military in Afghanistan is dropped from the modified C-130, and the 2007 Russian test explosion “father of bombs” is also dropped from transport aircraft, as for the operation in Syria, the secrecy work is very good, so that all media have not found any trace of this “big killer” deployed to Syria before the war. In addition, both strikes were extremely important targets, with U.S. air strikes killing nearly 100 terrorists, while Russian bombing killed more than 40 militants, including the IS “war minister” and key commanders. This requires very accurate intelligence and very strict secrecy measures, and if there are more convenient strike methods to choose from the needs of the battlefield, such a laborious organization of a large-scale “bombing show” can only show that “drunkenness does not mean to drink”.
Mushroom clouds like nuclear explosions, loud noises, and torn weapons and militants, even without mentioning the pain felt by those who witnessed it, will suffer a huge blow to the will of bystanders. The intimidating power of the “mother of bombs” and “father of bombs” used in the Afghan and Syrian battlefields far exceeds these two battlefields themselves, like using a big “cow knife” to slaughter a “chicken”, but more for the “monkey” to see. (Author/Dong Lei)
Known as the “mother of bombs” large air-explosive bomb (National Interest bimonthly website)