Eye In The Sky Page #13

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LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Benson.

155 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 155

POWELL on her secure telephone.

COLONEL POWELL:

Sir, legal has advised me to refer

up to the Attorney General. I need

a quick answer.

She watches the image from the beetle as the young RASHEED

and MUHAMMAD rise to greet ABADE with great respect.

156 INT. BRIEFING ROOM A - WHITEHALL - AFTERNOON 156

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

(on phone)

Okay, I will put that to him.

(he turns to George)

George, those explosives mean there

is an imminent threat of serious

harm to the civilian population.

Can we strike?

George draws a breath.

GEORGE:

Well given the new circumstances...

I would say yes. Brian?

WOODALE hesitates. As the senior politician, it’s his call.

GEORGE (CONT’D)

There is a political as well as a

legal call to be made here.

WOODALE:

(an edge of irritation)

Yes, I’m aware of that George...

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

(to Woodale)

We need a decision now, Minister.

WOODALE:

Legally we don’t have a problem?

GEORGE:

No. We don’t.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 67.

Angela looks far less sure.

WOODALE:

Politically...

A beat. WOODALE feels the weight of the decision to be made.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Do we have permission to proceed?

WOODALE:

Well... it seems George is implying

that, yes.

George is about to object, but Benson seizes the moment to

respond immediately.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Thank you.

ANGELA:

Hold on a minute, this is a change

of mission from a capture to a

‘shoot to kill’ -isn’t it?

GEORGE:

Yes... It is.

ANGELA:

Are we all right with that?

A beat.

ANGELA (CONT’D)

I am sure we are not. There are two

British nationals - and an American

-as targets.

157 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 157

POWELL watches the image from the beetle.

COLONEL POWELL:

(to Mushtaq)

Generate new damage rings for this

compound with an assessment of the

payload in those jackets.

MUSHTAQ:

Yes, Ma’am!

COLONEL POWELL:

Let’s have it now.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 68.

158 INT. BRIEFING ROOM A - WHITEHALL - AFTERNOON 158

Continuing...

GEORGE:

Angela, we have a Memorandum of

Understanding between our two

governments that covers us in a

situation where a citizen chooses

to align themselves with a

terrorist organization.

ANGELA:

What of the Kenyan government?

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

This mission has the full support

of both Kenya and the United

States...

ANGELA:

For a drone strike?

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Yes! A missile fired from an RPA is

part of an agreed contingency plan

in circumstances like this.

WOODALE:

Well, it does seem we have all

bases covered.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Do I have permission to proceed?

ANGELA:

No! Such a “plan” should not have

been signed off by the PM without

the authority of Parliament.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Operational issues are not

generally discussed at Cabinet and

certainly not in Parliament.

ANGELA:

(snapping back)

I know the protocol. I’m talking

about what should be happening.

A158 INT. SQUADRON OPERATIONS ROOM - NIGHT A158

A secure phone RINGS on Colonel Walsh’s desk. He answers.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 69.

159 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 159

POWELL is on her phone.

COLONEL POWELL:

Colonel, may I speak to your pilot

directly?

Walsh hesitates for just a moment.

COLONEL WALSH:

Yes, Ma’am...

160 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT 160

COLONEL WALSH (O.S.)

(on speaker)

Steve, Colonel Powell wants to talk

to you directly. Pick up.

A light indicates for STEVE to answer. He tenses. Then

presses the button. He’s on speaker. Carrie hears it all.

STEVE:

(answering)

Ma’am?

We cut between them:

COLONEL POWELL:

Lieutenant, you are now our best

option to take these HVI’s out.

Prepare to launch a single AGM-114

Hellfire on the target house.

STEVE:

Yes, Ma’am.

COLONEL POWELL:

This is a friendly city. Collateral

damage must be kept to a minimum.

STEVE:

Yes, Ma’am.

161 INT. BRIEFING ROOM A - WHITEHALL - AFTERNOON 161

Continuing...

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 70.

GEORGE:

Angela, in my view all the legal

criteria for an attack have been

met, namely:
This is a military

necessity, there is no reasonable

alternative, and the force to be

used is in proportion to the

threat. That should answer your

question.

ANGELA:

It does not, George! Has there ever

been a British led drone attack on

a city in a friendly country that

is not at war?

WOODALE now looks uneasy again.

WOODALE:

General?

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

(reluctantly)

I do not believe so. No.

ANGELA:

Then how can we sanction it?

162 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT 162

STEVE, checking his screens, is on an open line to POWELL.

STEVE:

(anxious)

Ma’am?

COLONEL POWELL:

Yes?

STEVE:

I have an ROE question. Is my

Government aware that we are

targeting a person with a US

passport?

163 INT. PJHQ - LONDON - AFTERNOON 163

COLONEL POWELL:

Yes, it is Lieutenant.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 71.

STEVE:

I didn’t see anything in the SPINS

about that.

(SPINS are special instructions for a particular mission.)

COLONEL POWELL:

Lieutenant, we have new rules of

engagement. You are covered.

STEVE:

Yes, Ma’am.

COLONEL POWELL:

Expect strike details shortly. This

is going to happen fast so be ready

to shoot.

STEVE:

Yes, Ma’am.

164 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT 164

CARRIE and STEVE have tensed up.

He puts down the phone.

CARRIE:

Have you ever shot a Hellfire?

STEVE:

No.

CARRIE:

Or anything?

STEVE:

No.

(a beat)

I’ve only ever been the eye.

(a beat)

You?

CARRIE:

Me too.

They fall into silence as they both look at what is on the

screen:
their target.

YELLOW SHOOTING SCRIPT 12 September 2014 72.

165 INT. SQUADRON OPERATIONS ROOM - NIGHT 165

A message comes in on the mission chatroom: Sky45, North20,

prepare to launch missile.

COLONEL WALSH:

(on headset)

Looks like it’s your lucky day

today, guys. Stay cool.

A165 INT. GROUND CONTROL STATION - NIGHT A165

STEVE and CARRIE glance at one another briefly.

166 INT. BRIEFING ROOM A - WHITEHALL - AFTERNOON 166

The discussion continues:

GEORGE:

Angela, I agree we are at risk of

being perceived by the press as

embarking on a ‘shoot to kill’

policy. But since all the legal

criteria are sound - I believe we

must allow this military action to

continue.

ANGELA:

Legally we may be safe, but

politically, we are walking into a

minefield. Especially with an

American citizen involved.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL BENSON

Do I have permission, Minister?

They again all turn to WOODALE. He sweats:

WOODALE:

Well, given the situation - that it

is a change of mission - that it is

now a missile attack on a British

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