Ret. Army major: MOAB was the right weapon to do the job

BOSTON — The massive ordinance air blast, MOAB, that was dropped in Afghanistan is the largest non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat.

The bomb was dropped on ISIS fighters Thursday, and retired Air Force and Army Major Bob Kinder says it was the perfect weapon for the job.

“We were able to take one bomb and put it on a point in time, when the enemy was either going to be hiding or not moving and we were able to target him and it was an effective use of that weapon system,” he told FOX25’s Bob Ward. “I think it’s a message that we are not afraid to use any system that's going to save American lives.”

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The MOAB was first test in 2003, but never used on the battlefield until now.

Kinder said it is an authorized weapon system in Afghanistan, and the decision to use it likely came from the commander of US forces in the country.

That decision came days after a US Green Beret was killed in action in the same area in Nangharhar Province.

Kinder said it’s too early to know just how much this bomb devastated ISIS, but there's no doubt the bomb saved American lives in the area.

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“When Americans get up and they ask themselves, ‘why did we drop this enormous 21,000 lb. bomb?’ We are at war, and we still have these young men and women on those ridge lines overlooking Pakistan, trying to keep the enemy ISIS off American shores,” he said.

REACTION:

Lawmakers have been reacting to the news of the bomb drop, including Rep. Seth Moulton, a veteran. Moulton has said he wants to hear President Donald Trump's strategy when it comes to overseas fighting.

"The problem isn't with the large bomb. Maybe this is what was necessary in this instance, but we need to have a strategy that includes a political plan so the Afghan government can succeed and all troops can come home," he said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren also said she's looking for a plan, and wants to hear from the generals in the field to find out why they thought this was the right bomb and the right moment.

"We're all trying to understand. What is his strategy. What is our overall purpose here and so far, we're just not hearing that," she said.

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