The daily Al Mashriq newspaper had an editorial Thursday titled "Last lines for the chaotic months" that said although Iraq has been in a war for five years, the government in the last few weeks has been chaotically carrying out quick military operations and offensives in many cities and areas around the country.

Such quick operations mean that something major but negative has happened or is about to happen, the newspaper said.

The newspaper said it had consulted three Iraqi figures -- "an ex-government official, a political analyst and an academic" -- all of whom "were asked to give their opinion -- politically and militarily -- on the current situation in Iraq."

The three all said the reason for the Iraqi government's recent offensives in Basra, Sadr City in Baghdad and now in Mosul was the short time President Bush had left in the White House and the fear that the next president might pull out U.S. forces.

"A Democrat winning the elections in the United States could mean a sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, which would lead to a security gap, especially in areas where Sunni and Shiite militias have full control," the newspaper said.