The news of Barzani's defeat and suicide was like a giant stone thrown into a tranquil lake, causing ripples in the power circles of Baghdad far beyond an ordinary military victory.
In the hall of the Illiguo Council the next morning, the air was filled with a subtle restlessness.
In the corridors, the council members gathered in twos and threes, their voices subdued, yet their eyes unusually bright—the instinctive reaction of politicians sensing a shift in the balance of power.
In the office of the Sunni caucus on the second floor of the parliament, the heavy oak door was tightly closed, with soundproof materials blocking all sounds inside and out.
Inside, five core Sunni members of parliament sat around the mahogany conference table left over from Sadam's era.
Scattered on the table were documents, teacups, and ashtrays, with smoke slowly rising in the sunlight streaming through the blinds.
"The news is one hundred percent confirmed."
