Day 85: Trump drops $16 million bomb to kill a few dozen ISIS terrorists

None were believed to be high-level targets.

Yesterday, the U.S. dropped a massive $16 million bomb in the Nangarhar providence of Afghanistan, aimed at taking out a mass contingency of ISIS terrorists. The bomb — the Massive Ordinance Air Blast, also known as the Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) —has never been used prior and is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the world.

Reports this morning indicate that the MOAB took out a mere 36 fighters, none of whom were believed to be of particularly high-level importance to ISIS operations or planning.

In other words, the U.S. paid $444,444.44 for each low-level terrorist killed. The attack will certainly be used by ISIS to recruit more fighters, so whether it actually reduces the numbers of fighters on the battlefield is questionable at best.

Donald Trump was coy about whether he personally okayed the strike, but said he has given “total authorization” to “my military” to do whatever they need to do. (Reminder, since no one in the room questioned him after this answer, but the military does not belong to Trump; it serves the American people.)

While the money obviously won’t dent the U.S.’s fiscal bottom line, with $16 million, the U.S. could’ve paid for a lot of things: millions of meals for low-income families, including children and seniors; tens of thousands of cancer screenings; dozens of grants studying everything from illnesses to climate change; art or music programs in schools across the country.

Trump continues to spend money like a rich guy unconcerned about reward or cost.

85 days in, 1377 to go

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