The Warring State of Libya - A Country at War

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[Media] Exclusive Interview: The Free State of Sabha’s Martin Geoff on Sabha and Human-Trafficking - A Follow-up
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    • ShahAbbas1571

    Exclusive Interview: The Free State of Sabha’s
    Martin Geoff on Sabha and Human-Trafficking - A Follow-up    ​

    Introduction

    It's been weeks since my last foray over the project, and so far, many of you seem to enjoy what I've written for the mockup: while some feedbacks are really vague, few are explicit enough to understand your reasons why. And it was a fun read, more than I could've hoped for. I try my best to answer most of them, although I probably left a few behind due to the lack of spare time.

    However, I'm not here to gush over how truly thankful for the positive feedback (and don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate it.). Since I won't be posting a lot until I have the rest of my personal projects straighten up, I thought that articulating the behind-the-scenes process behind the writing can be a fun endeavor to commit. I enjoyed noting the first dev log over the design and writing choices I have to make, laying out the reasons why I do this or that, for example. To make this a bit of a tradition for the thread, I want to explain some of the creative influences over the thumbnails and the man himself: Martin Geoff.

    Thumbnails

    I have two things in mind before I design the thumbnails: The topics and the presentation. To make it short, I try to tone down the feed to something balanced, at least in the sense that I don't want the entire mockup to be too serious or generic. I wanted to add a semblance of levity to acknowledge the already exaggerated worldbuilding of the timeline, so I made half of the thumbnails to be a bit comical. And when it comes to the topics, most of them here are references to old footnotes I have since my foray with the Time Magazine. Since I want to remind people of the events I've written months ago and I'm not keen to come up with some pointless fillers, I thought that the best thing to do is to recycle these talking-points into a concise piece.

    WSOL_YouTube.png


    1.1: I didn't like the thumbnail for the Spratly Incident; feels too mundane than what I have in mind.​

    I made some effort to make the design as authentic as possible, something you could imagine being posted on YouTube one day. The ones that I love the most are the video for TheMemestorian: Basically a shoddily-designed collage of Pepes and Wojaks. It's a reference to the Grand Kekistani incident, an event mentioned in my Neo-Barbary Crisis map. The premise was inspired by Lauren Southern and her accomplices' attempt to harass some refugees before being detained (at least that's how I remember it), so I have a little thought experiment wondering if they get kidnapped in the process.

    Another favorite piece of mine is the one for Vox. To me, writing the title feels like a sudden "Aha!" moment. I tried to avoid generic and lazy titles like the Second Cold War, so I came up with a name that reflects the premise: A global proxy war based on economic strongarming and electronic warfare. In a sense, it's loosely inspired by a scene from Doctor Who's Christmas Special: The End of Time. There's a clip where the Doctor listed the whole collage of nonsense that will happen if the Master frees the Time Lords. The Skaro Degradation, The Could've-Been King, and the Nightmare Child? Despite showing very little, the writers give such a sense of gravitas and dread to them. That's why I titled it the Quiet War: To give a unique take on this whole Sino-American tug-of-war.

    Martin Geoff

    I never like the idea of relying on worldbuilding alone, especially when conveying something personal or on-the-grounds. I didn't realize this was a problem until I finished my huge project on Time Magazine, where I have to think up the writing style for each feature article. Since then, the style of writing shifts from straightforward descriptions to a more immersive take accompanied by accounts and such. With this comes to mind, I try to dig back some of old my plans for character introductions. I long for the day where I could introduce people like Za'im and TheMemestorian properly, characters that are basically locked inside my head for a while. So comes the first to receive the very spotlight: Martin Geoff.

    Martin-Geoff_Inspiration.jpg


    1.2: This is how I imagine him: Pretty average in height, albeit more white and with a more relaxed posture and body language.​

    Writing his dialogue was such a wonderful treat, especially since I never got to do this sort of medium before. Since a winded description can't bring justice to his character, I look towards interview transcripts from CNN and MSNBC as inspirations. With the necessary references at hand, I eventually head to the writing board and get to work. It took me an entire week to finish it: Half of them are spent on the rough draft and the few remaining days on cleaning the grammars and punctuation. Believe it or not, I used a stopwatch to record each timestamp for the sake of detail. Since I'm writing an interview transcript of my very own, I feel that giving a reference for each dialogue will prove useful for you guys.

    His characterization is morbidly comical: An amalgamation of both Handsome Jack's sociopathic tendencies and Andrew Ryan's fanatical devotion to his utopia. The dialogue for him was intended to be completely casual, absence of any semblance of formality in contrast to Charlotte McLamb. To reinforce that sense of personality, I flared it with murmurs and discourse. At the same time, I don't him to be just a one-dimensional comic relief where people read him and go "funni libertarians, lol". Character-wise, he actually honest in his attempt to build a utopia from nothing, even trying to showcase the relative success of his project. That's why I contextualize what he's actually done in contrast to rambling about his political mindset.

    I can't imagine him being replaced by anyone because he was intended to represent the already outrageous premise of having a Rapture/Rhodesia-Esque libertarian state in the middle of a war-torn country. If he was replaced by anyone else, I don't the faction will have the familiar sense of outrageousness, at least to me.

    Conclusion

    Well, this concludes the behind-the-scenes introspect of the mockup. I tried to write more but I don't want to overstay my welcome. And when it comes to future content, it's either going to be about the Libyan National Army or another update for the main map.

    Anyway, I'm all done here. Let me know what you think about Martin Geoff. Do you think he’s a character worth expanding or just a one-note comic relief?

    Cya, folks!
     
    Last edited:
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    • [Map] Green Army: Administrative Divisions (2026)
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    • ShahAbbas1571

    Green Army: Administrative Divisions (2026)

    WSOL_Green-Army.png


    Northern Front - Administration Under the Green Army​

    Published: August 22nd, 2026
    Author: Dimitry Vasily

    After the Capitulation of Zintan

    On July 29th, the Mansur Clique and the Green Army partitioned the state of Zintan. While the former hastily occupied a few towns during their march, the latter took over a massive portion of the region. Some militias and even commanders who served the once-powerful city-state switched allegiances, either being stationed into simple garrison duties or integrated into their core army if proven capable. A local commander was assigned to temporarily rule the conquered region, to keep the peace until it's stable enough to be governed by a civilian body.
    As with any region they took over, The Majlis Al-Khubara - also known as the Council of Expert, assigned a proven administrator to Zintan after the end of their military occupation, serving his new role as governor. His duties involve reconstructing infrastructure, managing local resources, and establishing social programs. With this goal in mind, a detachment of engineering corps and volunteers were assigned to the region, providing their expertise to help further the reconstruction of many towns devastated by the campaign.

    And their strategy is a success: they've repaired public roads which allow the flow of necessities and alleviated a water shortage through the construction of wells. All of these were a deliberate endeavor to legitimize themselves in front of the public, not through sheer military might but the merit of their statesmanship. The Green Army is the only few factions that, in comparison to the warring tribes and cliques, can be described as a proto-state: one with an established institution that helps them govern the most populous regions in the country.

    In conjunction with Pytor Dostoyevsky's article on how many Libyans view the Green Army (which is a must-read for those interested in the faction), this article will articulate their organization and administration; showcasing how they manage a region once devastated by the Scourge of Tripoli.

    In Comparison to the Warlords and Tribes

    We can characterize the Libyan National Army and the rest of the warring cliques as an army with a state: most of their bureaucracies only exist to serve the interest of their military, sustaining and reinforcing the powerbase exploited by these loose coalition of generals. The tribes, while at least concerned with the day-to-day administrations of their dominion, mostly fill important roles to either family members or trusted allies. Regardless, both of them exploit public services as a means to stay in power, to provide prestige and strength to their respective groups.

    These problems were prevalent under the Ali Clique, the first faction encountered by the Green Army. From dates to barley, they rely on tributaries and extortion to sustain the food supply of their mechanized troops. At the expense of the local population, many towns and hamlets are suffering from shortages as a result of their stringent demands, leading to a mass exodus to either Sabha or the empty southwest for the prospect of a better life. Since the clique merely roams across their territory demanding tribute and taxes, administrative duties are left under the hands of their subversive mayors and representatives, leaving them as a loose but loyal collective paying dividends to their militarized overlords.

    However, this changed after they capitulated to the Green Army. After the Battle of Bani Walid, Zaim established the Hukumat Al-Tawari, an ad-hoc government intended to manage the town torn by enemy incursion. They're tasked to accomplish two key reforms: To allocate and secure the food surplus, and to oversee the reconstruction of key infrastructures. Initially, this was met with mixed results as most of the officials are composed of inexperienced militias, leading to some mishaps with the townsman. However, after delivering the final blow to the Ali Clique in Bir Dufan, the Green Army has enough pool of serviceable bureaucrats to relieve the militia to their usual role, eventually reforming the Hukumat Al-Tawari to the Majlis Al-Khubara that we all know today.

    Organization of the Green Army

    While the Green Army utilizes their advocacy for good governance to legitimize themselves as a worthy alternative to the defunct Haftar's Government and the exiled Presidential Council residing in the District of Columbia (or generally known as Washington D.C), they also realize that the reconstruction of cities ravaged the Scourge of Tripoli is a herculean task, and it requires an extensive system of management to fulfill desired results. And with some of the population deprived of basic needs after years of neglect, key organizations managing these concerns and challenges were formed.

    At the highest echelon of its bureaucratic hierarchy, the Majlis Al-Khubara - also known as the Council of Experts, is the executive body that dictates the overall administration across their territory. They're assigned to the position of two responsibilities: To delegate governors and ministers and formulate edicts and policies beneficial to the revolutionary cause. The council is composed of twelve personals assigned by the Qayid: Four of them are loyal ideologues of the Green Army while the rest come from a civilian background, one of them is a former official of Haftar's fallen government. According to Zaim, their goal is to advocate and implement values expressed in Gaddafi's Green Book and serve as the provisional government until the entire country is united.

    Under the councils lies the Majlis Al-Wuzara', meaning the Council of Ministers. Assigned by the Qayid and his councilmen, they are led by a civilian prime minister. Their responsibility is to fulfill the policies enacted by the Majlis Al-Khubara, in which they can form public services and implement such tasks according to their design. They also have the function to propose certain policies to their superiors, in which the council will review them thoroughly. The body comprises 8 ministries, which include the following: Ministry of Social Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Public Water, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Public Housing, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Religion, and the Ministry of Education and Science.

    Governance Under the Green Standard

    If the Majlis Al-Khubara is the supreme authority ruling over West Tripoli, then the local governors are the subordinates managing their lands. Handpicked by Zaim and his council, the governors are responsible for developing its economy and public livelihood and oversee the implementation of law according to the Green Book and Zaim's contribution to the work. They receive resources and support from certain ministries and have the power to appoint local ministers and nominate judges to the council.

    Most governors are former military administrators assigned to integrate lands annexed by the Green Army. If proven capable through both merit and initiative, they are promoted to the higher role if the region does not provide or recommend a civilian alternative. Out of 15 provinces, six of them are civilians with experience in administrative and bureaucratic processes, two of them: Hussain Al-Werfalli (Bani Walid) and Mustafa Jibril (Tawergha), are former officials under Haftar's government. While a person with a civilian background was deemed desirable, the brain drain caused by the Scourge of Tripoli forced the Majlis Al-Khubura to appoint military personnel instead (at least according to the Council's chief spokesman).

    With the brain drain affecting the numbers of adequate bureaucrats, the Green Army assigns governors with the additional responsibility to train new volunteers, In which they established certain requirements for them to pass. They support the governors by assisting the implementation of certain policies and serve as local ministers or agents. Their roles range from simple clerksman to chief organizer distributing food rations. Potential bureaucrats are required to come from a civilian background and be provided with key exams to succeed.

    Effectiveness of its Administration

    Current observers and correspondents of the war are polarized over the efficiency of their day-to-day administration. To some, the Green Army has established a totalitarian proto-state that merely exacerbates the problem rather than solving it, encouraging people to become loyal ideologues and worsening the region due to the lack of professional manpower in their ranks. Others lauded their efforts, claiming that the Green Army has stabilized the once-ravaged landscape of West Tripoli into a safe and secure powerhouse, providing people with necessities and bringing peace to the streets.

    Their administration allows the steady introduction of many social services and distribution of basic necessities across West Libya. This is evident months after the Liberation of Tripoli, in which our very own Pytor Dostoyevsky has explored extensively: People show their gratitude for the efforts in reintroducing healthcare and public schooling, with one claiming that their future is safer under the rulings of the Green Army. Food shortages, once a critical issue due to hoarding and neglect, were alleviated through heavy investment in agricultural infrastructure and the establishment of public kitchens and rationing programs.

    They also stabilize the region once ravaged by warring cliques and city statues through the formation of neighborhood watches and the replacement of the stagnant bureaucratic system established by Haftar's government with a new staff. While the Green Army does organize frequent patrols to keep the peace, the Ministry of Social Service established a community watch program where locals are encouraged to participate in patrols to report illicit activities and crack down on criminal ventures. The new generation of bureaucrats trained under the Majlis Al-Khubara's program steadily replaces the old guard (albeit few remain due to their proven merit), which eventually fastens the reconstruction of many damaged infrastructures and the formation of new social services.

    However, some are not keen on the system established by the council. Many press media condemn what they perceive to be the slow ideological indoctrination of the people. The Mediterranean's Alan Herver suggested early steps such as pledging their loyalty to the revolutionary cause is one of many examples in which the Green Army are drilling for loyal ideologues than professional cohorts. He also argued that the purge of political dissidents furthers the bureaucratic decline since many of them are former officials under either Haftar's Government or the General Council of Tripoli.

    Another concern lies over the role of the Majlis Al-Khubara and Zaim's authority as the Qayid of the Green Army. Alan Herver presents another premise In which the council is merely a front to legitimize the Green Army's ruthless conquest and the eradication of political dissent. He questions whether they have actual power as an emergency government and states that they are, in his words, "as influential as the Roman Senate under Caesar." He also argued that despite his pretense, Zaim is the sole autocrat of his domain due to him being the Supreme Commander of the entire military and having the practical power to assign and remove whoever he deems fit.

    Regardless, whether the Majlis Al-Khubara is merely a ceremonial institution to legitimize Zaim's edicts or that the idea that they're drilling people into radical militants, the Green Army has stabilized West Libya - a region once infamous for the unfathomable cluster of warring state and the chaos that it fans, into one of the most secure and developed domains in the entire country. And regardless of where their intention lies, it doesn't seem to bother the public citizenry but rather establish the Green Army as a legitimate force dedicated to restoring Libya into a unified and prosperous country.
     
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    • [Map] Green Army: Administrative Divisions (2026) - A Follow-up
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    • ShahAbbas1571

    Green Army: Administrative Divisions (2026)
    A Follow-up    ​

    Hello, folks. I hope things are neat for you guys since I was out screwing around with this piece. It's another entry about the Green Army, this time on how they manage things in their slice of land. I'm pretty much experimenting with this one, tried some new color
    schemes for the topography and such.

    This piece feels a bit weird because I made the map first before finishing the script. I usually go through the process of writing something extensive since it gives me a sense of direction; I don't want the piece to meander off aimlessly. However, that kind of mentality doesn't bide well to me sometimes, and I head straight towards the drawing board without anything concrete. I was planning to write a revision of the general premise behind the Green Army, but that's pretty redundant with the number of retcons I've made, so chose the subject on how they govern instead.

    Also, I broke my laptop a few days ago. The hinge is stuck after collecting years of dust, meaning that I can't flip the screen without causing more damage. It's in the repair shop right now, and I'm using my old laptop as a substitute. I hope things went well in the end and I try to be optimistic despite my concerns.

    Anyway, that's all I have to say.

    Goodbye, folks!
     
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    • TimTurner

    TimTurner

    Much respect for the hard effort and work you put into this! I wish you the best on the electronics front!
    This timeline is really quite a showcase of labor of love.
     

    ShahAbbas1571

    TimTurner said:
    Much respect for the hard effort and work you put into this! I wish you the best on the electronics front!
    This timeline is really quite a showcase of labor of love.
    Click to expand...
    Thanks, my dude!

    I'll be heading back into the scene again, especially since the thread has been collecting dust for the past two months. Besides, I have a couple of surprises in mind.
     
    [Media] Three Years After The Grand Kekistani Hijacking: A Preview
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    • ShahAbbas1571

    Three Years After The Grand Kekistani Hijacking: A Preview​

    Sup, fellas! I’m back!

    It’s been months since I’ve posted anything for this thread, so I’m glad some of you folks still keep an eye on it. The reason for my absence is pretty typical: personal issues, graduating college, laziness, etc. Nothing extraordinary, to say the least, but I thought it’s worth addressing for you people to understand the context.

    Anyway, I’m here to drop a preview from the script before I upload the entire YouTube mockup. Since I have a lot of fun with the last transcript, I thought teasing it might give some clues to the entire story. Here are the following pieces:

    8mfyEkTjsZVi0SZR-1zznlAkvq1nBOEG2kzA6jlqaZIIIgPz5OCAn3GrpkAEz5cqv5Aj1fVmcZwmtvxWBDr3-IYpvQC-ShVJyOhmikIHMK8oiFilLBQkGNB8y81hUnyeiEVYc5YM=s0

    EmuQ3xOgOa5ZMorvceDKAnW91oDO3UDW4m_jmn5sa801QPrwnVD98z3FYDjHIsgFboOqlQ_UzIPpWlj1Kk8jRFfq0_oilQOn6GHCSNiGvCOMavNxgaFxGowppAmO5b9iGvgaL97a=s0

    And here’s the behind-the-scene stuff I like to address. Technically, I finished writing the transcript a few weeks ago. It’s a long piece, and there were times where I got bored writing it, so heads out to play Fallout 3. However, I didn’t like the characterization of the main character: He feels like a shameless caricature, which is fine for someone like Martin Geoff because I always view him as the morbid comic relief in the timeline, but I never intended that for him. So, I went through 2 more drafts, rewriting the dialogue and proofreading the script as much as I could.

    But now it’s all set and done, I’m pretty much satisfied with the stuff I wrote. Concerning when I’m going to post it, I’ll probably do it at good timing. Plus, it’ll probably give me time to writing descriptions for each thumbnail; that one’s going to be fun.

    Anyway, I hope you have fun! Cya!
     
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