Song Heping's ssage to the 1515 was like pouring cold water into a boiling pot of oil, instantly triggering a violent explosion and chain reaction within the Kurdish Ard Forces in Northern Illiguo.
The first to bear the brunt was the Kurdistan Protection Guard (KPG).
This military institution, as the core military force under the Kurdish Autonomous Governnt in Illiguo, nominally commands all ard factions resisting the 1515 extremist organization and defending the Kurdish Autonomous Region.
However, it is not monolithic internally, composed of multiple tribes and political factions with long histories and tangled interests, having long-standing power struggles and resource battles.
The faction led by Abu You, with its formidable combat capability and distinguished achievents on the frontlines against the 1515 ard forces, has risen dramatically in prestige in recent years. But this has also drawn suspicion and discontent from other factions within the KPG's Military Committee, particularly traditional conservative forces.
The day after the internet rumors were rampant, the KPG Military Committee held an ergency closed-door eting in Elbil.
The eting room was filled with smoke, and the atmosphere was so heavy it was palpable.
"This is slander! Utter slander!"
Jalal, one of Abu You's few allies within the committee and a representative from the Sulaimaniyah region, banged the table excitedly.
"How much blood has Abu You shed for our nation? His brothers died on the battlefield against the 1515! Are we going to judge our hero based only on the rumors spread by the 1515? This is playing right into the enemy's hands!"
"A hero?"
The committee's vice-chairman, Bashir, a veteran politician representing traditional tribal forces, snorted coldly, flicking ash slowly.
"Jalal, watch your words. Now is not the ti to discuss individual achievents. The problem is the Aricans have seen this news and expressed 'serious concern' to us! Director Vincent's call went straight to the commander! Do you know what this ans?"
His gaze swept around, sharp: "It ans any shelter we provide to Abu You could be seen as a provocation to the United States or at least as mismanagent and harboring ill intentions! Our annual hundreds of millions of US dollars in military aid, the advanced weapons in our soldiers' hands, our air support, could all be affected by this incident! Even cut off!"
Commander Osman sat at the head, his brow furrowed, silent.
He was a typical political general, not from a military command background. His position owed to his ruthless political maneuvering valued by the Aricans, balancing interests within the KPG is his primary task.
"But, evidence?"
Another moderate committee mber hesitated, "We cannot dispose of a ritorious commander based solely on rumors; this would dishearten frontline soldiers."
"Evidence? The internet is evidence."
Bashir sneered, coldly: "And what evidence is needed now? Do the Aricans need evidence? They only need 'reasonable suspicion'! Now the global dia is reprinting this news, Abu You has already beco a hot potato. We must imdiately cut ties with him, show our stance, to regain the trust of the Aricans!"
He leaned forward, lowering his voice but with an undeniable force: "Gentlen, think about it. If the Aricans doubt Abu You and cut or even stop aid, what do we use to fight against the 1515 ard forces? Rely on courage? Or those outdated AK rifles? Without Arican support, what voice do we have in front of the Baghdad Governnt? Our painstakingly won autonomous status could be destroyed overnight!"
This struck most committee mbers at their core.
The Kurdish cause is inseparable from Arican support; this is an undeniable reality.
"But..."
Jalal still wanted to argue.
"No buts!"
Bashir forcefully interrupted him, "We must act imdiately to demonstrate our efficiency and loyalty to Washington. I propose: First, imdiately revoke all of Abu You's military command authority; second, the military committee dispatch an investigation team to Abu You's camp to fully check the troops' weapons and accounts, especially checking for any missing weapons; third, during the investigation, Abu You must undergo isolated review!"
"This... this is the procedure for dealing with traitors!" Jalal turned pale.
"It's a necessary procedure!" Bashir insisted relentlessly: "For the survival of the entire Kurdish cause!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Commander Osman.
Osman took a deep breath, wiped his face.
He knew he had to make a decision.
Sacrificing one Abu You to preserve the entire KPG and its relationship with the United States, seed a worthwhile trade to him.
As for the truth?
That was not important.
This was not a simple military issue.
There is no absolute right or wrong.
He slowly stood up, spoke in a deep voice: "Let's vote. Those in favor of Vice Chairman Bashir's proposal, please raise your hand."
The eting room was silent for a mont.
Initially, it was quiet.
Then a hand was raised.
Then a second...
The third one...
After the domino effect, one hand after another was raised.
Jalal painfully closed his eyes. A few committee mbers sympathetic to Abu You were finally forced to raise their hands under Bashir's icy gaze.
"Passed." Othman's voice was devoid of any emotion: "Imdiately form a resolution to dispatch an investigation team. Vice Chairman Bashir will be solely responsible for this matter."
...
Abu You's camp is stationed in a relatively flat area north of Mosul, which is one of the front lines against the 1515 Ard.
The atmosphere in the camp has been tense these days. The soldiers have clearly heard rumors; they are sowhat absent-minded during training, whispering among themselves in small groups.
In the command post, Abu You watched grimly as his trusted officers received an encrypted telegram from the KPG Headquarters.
"Removal of command authority? Under investigation?"
Abu You's deputy, who is also his cousin Casim, snatched the telegram, and his entire body shook with anger after reading it.
"How can they do this?! Based solely on the rumors spread by those 1515 bastards? Brother, we cannot accept this! It's clear this old man Bashir is using this as a pretext to get rid of us!"
Another trusted company commander also exclaid, "Commander! We have four thousand brothers, all seasoned soldiers who can fight tough battles! Well-equipped! How can they demand we surrender everything with just one order? Those gentlen at KPG Headquarters know nothing but power struggles! If they push us too far, we..."
"Enough!"
Abu You interrupted his subordinates' angry rhetoric with a harsh growl.
How could he not feel angry, not feel disheartened?
But he thought further.
"If we resist now, we'll be confirming a traitor's cri. How will the Aricans view us? How will other Kurdish Brothers view us? We'd be severing ties with the entire nation!"
He walked to the window, looking at the soldiers outside on the training ground who had followed him through life and death, his voice carrying a trace of weariness: "I believe the committee's investigation will clear my na. This is just a temporary grievance. For the greater good, we must endure."
"Brother!" Casim was anxious: "When has Bashir's people ever spoken reasonably? They send the investigation team, clearly with ill intentions! I fear they aren't coming to investigate at all, but to..."
"Don't say it."
Abu You waved his hand, his tone resolute, "Order the troops to remain calm, cooperate with the investigation team's work. But—"
He changed his tone, a stern look flashed in his eyes.
"The armory and critical positions must be firmly held by our own n. Without my direct order, no one is to surrender real power!"
Ultimately, he kept a backup plan, a survival instinct honed through years of warfare.
A few hours later, a convoy of five Humr military vehicles rolled into the camp kicking up dust.
The investigation team had arrived.
The team leader was Bashir's distant nephew Zagros, an arrogant young man wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses, who scrutinized everything in the camp with a critical and disdainful gaze as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle.
The more than twenty soldiers he brought were evidently Bashir's own, with arrogant eyes and rude actions; they swiftly controlled the key positions around the command post upon disembarking.
"Commander Abu You."
Zagros didn't even salute, rely raised his chin arrogantly.
"By order of the Military Committee, from now on, I will take over the camp's defense and investigation work. Please surrender your sidearm and stay in your room, do not go out or contact any subordinates without permission."
Casim and several officers imdiately glared in anger, their hands on their gun holsters. Abu You used a stern look to stop them.
He slowly removed the Beretta pistol from his waist, handed it to Zagros, and calmly said, "I hope the investigation is conducted justly and clears my na as soon as possible."
Zagros took the gun, weighed it, and said with a faint smile, "Don't worry, the committee will surely find out the 'truth'.
He deliberately emphasized the word 'truth', which sounded full of sarcasm.
Abu You was soon placed under house arrest in his room, with two guards brought by Zagros standing outside.
The investigation team began to "audit" the armory and accounts in a manner resembling a raid, with rough attitudes, frequently clashing with Abu You's subordinates, as tensions in the camp grew increasingly intense.
Casim attempted several tis to force a eting with Abu You but was blocked each ti.
By dinnerti the next day, he used a covert thod to hide a note in the food, which contained only one sentence: "Sothing's wrong, they seem to be looking for an excuse to act."
Abu You looked at the note, feeling heavy-hearted.
He sensed unease but still clung to a hope that the committee would not act too ruthlessly, considering his past military accomplishnts.
However, as a commander with a military background, he underestimated the brutality of political power struggles.
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