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HEADLINE

On the US dropping of "mother of all bombs"

Published : Sunday, 16 April, 2017 at 12:00 AM
Last Thursday, the American Air force has dropped its heaviest conventional bomb in the history of warfare. The target of it was militarily described as a "tunnel complex" surrounded by mountains in Afghanistan. According to news reports of the Afghan defence ministry, some 36 suspected Islamic State militants were reported to be killed.
Also known as the "mother of all bombs," the GBU-43 is a 21,600 pound (9,797kg) GPS-guided munitions and was first tested in March 2003, just days before the start of the Iraq war. However, we mark the dropping of the bomb not only by its sheer size or weight, but also as a clear sign of America's current chaotic non-specific military policy being carried out not only in Afghanistan but also in other parts of the world. For instance, the US fleet steaming on towards the Korean peninsula is another military move, signalling Trump's aggressive 'might is right' policy. Most importantly, riddled with internal conflicts over security, diplomatic and military policies the pandemonium taking place inside the White House is now having wide-ranging edgy geopolitical effects globally.  Its continual internal disruptions are also becoming evident in its military campaigns too.   
Following the sacking of the security adviser Michael Flynn some nineteen of Donald Trump's White House staff and advisors have been fired or resigned during the month of February alone. This massive exodus from the Whitehouse in recent times has exposed a despotic leader cleaning his way out of all possible dissent.
Moreover, the observant power struggle between the White House chief strategist and other administration officials has actually muddied the waters even further. From in the midst of such disarray, we beside the rest of the world are scarily witnessing inconsistent and whimsical military strikes that are fast turning Trump's war of rhetoric into a real life war.  Needs mentioning, diplomacy and military force mutually support each other as instruments of national policy and functions better rather than as separate entities.
Given America's fresh spate of military strikes beginning in Syria, it appears similar to his radical isolationist policies. Trump is also deliberately separating the cohesion and mutual support between the two. Needs be noted, terrorism, militancy or removing of nuclear threats cannot be achieved with rampant bombings and non-strategic military campaigns. The fact has been proven over and over. In fact, arrogant display and unchecked practice of such massive military strength threatens global peace while locking all doors of diplomatic negotiations. This threat is currently looming at large over Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq to the Korean peninsula.
We are also sceptic about the precision of military targets identified and guided by the American forces, since the 17 March strike on a building in Mosul is currently under investigation after killing scores of Iraqi civilians. The 11 April strike killed 18 fighters belonging to the Syrian Democratic Forces themselves. The targeted military strike to demolish the Syrian airbase reportedly claimed six more innocent lives and the death toll keeps mounting in the face of such 'bomb and destroy' course of action.  
However,   the American leader must refrain from resolving all problems following unbridled military might while causing more destruction and threat to the world order. We don't believe America's uncontrolled bombings to be a solution for addressing IS threats.     
       
Shahriar Feroze is an independent researcher





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