Russia Announces the “Father of All Bombs”

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Surprisingly, they’re not referring to Daddy Day Care:

In what appears to be the Kremlin’s latest display of military might, officials said Moscow had developed a new thermobaric bomb to add to its already potent nuclear arsenal.

Russia’s state-run Channel One television said the new ordnance – dubbed the Father of all Bombs – is four times more powerful than the US’s Mother of all Bombs.

The "Mother of All Bombs," of course, is the US’s own non-nuclear GBU-43, which can destroy nine or ten city blocks, but which is also so large that it has to be dropped out of a cargo plane. It’s also only a fraction of a percent as powerful as the bomb the US dropped in 1945 on Hiroshima; compared to the largest modern thermonuclear warheads, it’s relatively flea-sized. The US has never even bothered to put more than a handful in its entire arsenal.

And now the Russians, in addition to their own nukes, can also drop four fleas at one go. While describing the near-nuclear-devastation results as (I kid you not) "environmentally friendly." Points for imagination on that one.

Thing is, the bad news here has nothing to do with the kablooey and everything to do with the politics. The US and Russia have been sinking into old-school brinksmanship since Pooty and the Chimp each took (and continued to keep taking) power. The big picture is indeed getting a little scary — but because of the dysfunction of both governments, not because of any one weapon. This should be fairly obvious; to paraphrase NRA supporters: "high-yield airburst thermobaric fuel-air munitions don’t kill people — people do."

Sample Image Not quite sure why we’re supposed to panic about this one particular bang, but Fox News and its cohorts seem hopeful that we will. I guess if you’re not constantly frightened about something, you’re not truly patriotic these days. (Notorious recent example pictured at right.)

The most dangerous weapon in the world right now is the ability of the powerful to mobilize a generalized fear and hostility.  Everything else follows.  This might be good to keep in mind. 

Next in line to frighten us: the Bitter Ex-Spouse of All Bombs, which will glower at us menacingly from across the room at a party before making out furiously with someone almost at random; the Depressed Coworker of All Bombs, which will creep us all out with its constant talk about "getting even;" and the Drunken Brother-In-Law of All Bombs, which will drink ten city blocks’ worth of our beer and then throw up on Canada.

Hat tip: Colin.