Masoud Barzani, pictured voting in September’s Kurdistan independence referendum, will continue to play a role in politics without holding any formal position. The resignation is the latest fallout from the Sept. 25 referendum, which raised fears of a civil war between Kurds and Iraqis. Mr. Barzani insisted on holding the ballot despite objections from Baghdad, regional powers, the U.S. and even some of his own associates, who warned against alienating the Kurds’ allies and further antagonizing their enemies. The region voted last month for Kurdistan to secede but Iraq’s central government said the referendum was illegal. In response to the vote, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi mobilized troops to retake a vast swath of territory the Kurds had effectively annexed to their region in the north of the country. That changed the balance of power between Baghdad and the Kurds, also shaking up politics within the region, where Mr. […]