Is The MOAB a weapon of mass destruction by definition?

[HAB911]

[EX500rider]

1. No

weap·on of mass de·struc·tion
noun
plural noun: weapons of mass destruction
a chemical, biological or radioactive weapon capable of causing widespread death and destruction

[atreides1]

13. Possibly!

A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological or other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans or cause great damage to human-made structures (e.g., buildings), natural structures (e.g., mountains), or the biosphere. The scope and usage of the term has evolved and been disputed, often signifying more politically than technically. Originally coined in reference to aerial bombing with chemical explosives, since World War II it has come to refer to large-scale weaponry of other technologies, such as chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon_of_mass_destruction

[grossproffit]

2. Nope.

[HAB911]

3. US says it "took every precaution to avoid civilian casualties"

US says it "took every precaution to avoid civilian casualties" when dropping a bomb that has a blast radius of a mile in every direction.

Link to tweet

[Rollo]

4. At 11 tons, it's about 1/2,000 less power than the 20 kiloton Hirosima weapon...

As such it's not classified as a WMD.

That said, some sources claim that smaller bombs delivered by faster and more maneuverable fighter bombers are more effective at cave clearing. The value of the MOAB is primarily psychological, it might seem.

Meanwhile the Russian have claimed a FOAB that is four times as powerful as the MOAB.

[EX500rider]

8. Really? Somebody would claim bombs dropped on ISIS were war crimes?

I doubt that.

[onenote]

11. Don't be a what?

Maybe this isn't the place for you.

[onenote]

17. Keep digging.

You're not fooling anyone.

[Amishman]

6. Seems like more hype than anything else.

Is there really much of a difference between dropping a single 12k pound bomb on a target vs dropping twelve 1k pound bombs on that target?

[Kentonio]

7. Yes.

If people want to fall back on the 'must be chemical/biological/nuclear' then thats up to them, but if we for instance invent a weapon that can ignite the earths atmosphere and it doesn't fall into the neat little above categories then I'd be interested to hear people's rational for what defined 'mass'.

These things get defined years ago, and people stick with them because it allows them to sidestep difficult questions like 'does this make us the bad guys?'.

[Henry Krinkle]

10. Nope

No different than dropping 21 1,000lbs bombs.

Even though naplam and FAE's (fuel air explosives), aren't WMD's, I'd have to say that they're more inhumane, terror
weapons than any MOAB.

[atreides1]

14. A more up to date definition of WMD's

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon_of_mass_destruction

[Dem2]

15. It is a wmd

Weapon of mass distraction.

[alarimer]

16. Just your daily distraction from Trump's crimes

He will keep doing this until we forget all about them.