29. The Phases of the Plan to Defeat and Destroy the Zombies
CONOP 8888’s summary states: “Because zombies pose a threat to all non-zombie human life, [Strategic Command] will be prepared to preserve the sanctity of human life and conduct operations in support of any human population — including traditional adversaries“. The document’s disclaimer section states: “This plan was not actually designed as a joke“. The contingency plan breaks down the undead into various categories: Pathogenic, Radiation, Evil Magic, Space, Weaponized, Symbiant-Induced, Vegetarian, and Chicken Zombies. The plan treats a zombie invasion just like any other threat and calls for phases to handle the contingency.
First comes general awareness training. Next is deterrence – not of the zombies, who cannot be deterred, but of other countries that might want to deploy zombies. Then, the Pentagon plans to seize the initiative, recall all military personnel to service, establish defensive positions, and launch limited-scale military operations to negate the zombie threat. Next is to dominate: lockdown all military installations for 30 days, don appropriate protective gear, issue orders to kill all non-human life on sight, and bomb zombie infection sources and support infrastructure. Then comes stabilization, ascertainment of the safety of the environment, and the identification and destruction of zombie holdout pockets. Finally, the military would shift its efforts to aid surviving civilian authorities in the restoration of normal life.