Skip to content

Mission Creeps

Art by Mark Dancey

Jagged

1:06 (Pilot): JAG25/ KIRK97, your comms are weak and extremely broken, uh, understand we are still looking for PID. We are still eyes on the east side working on PID. We have possible weapons but no PID yet, we’ll keep you updated.

1:07 (MC): Screener said at least one child near SUV.

1:07 (Sensor): Bull (expletive deleted) . . . where!?

1:07 (Sensor): Send me a (expletive deleted) still. I don’t think they have kids out at this hour, I know they’re shady but come on.

1:07 (Pilot): At least one child . . .
Really? Listing the MAM, uh, that means he’s guilty.

1:07 (Sensor): Well, maybe a teenager, but I haven’t seen anything that looked that short. Granted, they’re all grouped up here, but—

1:07 (MC): They’re reviewing.

1:07 (Pilot): Yeah, review that (expletive deleted) . . . Why didn’t he say possible child? Why are they so quick to call (expletive deleted) kids but not to call (expletive deleted) a rifle?

1:08 (MC): Two children were at the rear of the SUV . . . I haven’t seen two children.

1:08 (Sensor): The SUV just started, [CLASSIFIED . . .

This text is taken from the official U.S. Air Force transcript of a February 21, 2010, drone attack in Afghanistan, later published in the Los Angeles Times.