A North Florida Republican in Congress cheered the Trump administration for deploying the largest non-nuclear bomb against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Afghanistan.
Last week, the Trump administration approved striking tunnels used by ISIS in eastern Afghanistan with a Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb which produced around a 100 casualties. While the attack drew criticism from Afghani leaders, including Hamid Karazi, from his perch on the House Armed Services Committee, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., cheered the use of a MOAB.
Towards the end of last week, Gaetz weighed in on using the bomb and noted the ties to his Panhandle district.
“This location has been an ongoing source of terrorist activity, and is where Staff Sergeant Mark De Alencar was killed by ISIS fighters on Saturday, April 8th,” Gaetz noted. “SSG De Alencar, a member of the Green Berets, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.”
Gaetz also stressed that the bomb was first tested in the Florida Panhandle.
“This 21,000-pound bomb is the largest non-nuclear weapon in the arsenal of the United States, and was tested at Eglin AFB,” Gaetz pointed out. “General John W. Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, explained the decision to drop the bomb: ‘As ISIS-K’s losses have mounted, they are using IEDs, bunkers and tunnels to thicken their defense,’ he said. ‘This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against ISIS-K.’ ISIS-K is the designation for Islamic State fighters in the nations of Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan.”
Gaetz cheered President Donald Trump for deploying the weapon.
“President Trump’s decision to drop the GBU-43 shows his deep commitment to eradicating ISIS worldwide,” Gaetz insisted."This message was part of his campaign, and eliminating ISIS is critical to the long-term security of the United States. The president’s actions also send a clear message that we will no longer tolerate attacks on our troops — and that those who do so can expect a swift and strong response. Though it was developed in 2003, this is the first time the GBU-43 has been used in combat. As foes of the United States become more sophisticated, so must the weaponry we use to fight them. The use of the GBU-43 bomb shows the clear need to maintain and enhance our military readiness.
“As Northwest Floridians, we are proud to train the most lethal warfighters and to test the most advanced weaponry in the world,” Gaetz concluded. “The president’s decision highlights our military’s need for expanded testing facilities — in particular, the Gulf Test Range south of Eglin AFB.”
Elected to the Florida House in 2010, Gaetz served there until 2016 when he ran for the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla.
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