Brian Mast: ‘Level of responsibility’ in use of ‘mother of all bombs’ in Afghanistan

Rep. Brian Mast, a combat veteran, on Friday said there was a level of “responsibility” and “restraint” in the United States’ attacking an Islamic State terrorist group site in Afghanistan with the “mother of all bombs,” compared to other methods that could have been used.

“I think you … see a very good level of responsibility in using this device,” Mr. Mast, Florida Republican, said on CNN’s “New Day.”

“You could have dropped more ordnance on the area if you wanted to,” he said. “You could have carpet-bombed the area. That would have been substantially more ordnance, but it wouldn’t have been precise.”

“It wouldn’t have been a guided bomb unit like what you see being used with the MOAB,” he said. “And in using precision, that’s a level of restraint.”

Afghan officials said 36 militants were killed in the strike on Thursday and no civilians were injured, according to CNN.

Mr. Mast, a U.S. Army veteran, served in Afghanistan as a bomb disposal expert and lost his legs in one explosion.