Iraq Press Roundup

Al Mashriq newspaper said in its editorial Friday that there was concern the Sadr Movement's leadership had urged the Mahdi army, the militia loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, to end the cease-fire against U.S. forces.

The editorial -- titled "Fragile security and the second war" -- said Iraqi officials demonstrated that such a move could expose the latest security "improvements" to danger.

The editorial said the Sadr Movement's leaderships says their "patience" is wearing thin following arrests of and raids on the Mahdi Army and the breaking of promises by the Iraqi and U.S. governments.

"Considering the fragile security situation in all areas in Iraq, ending the cease-fire will add a dramatic atmosphere suggesting a volcano of disastrous unending violence," the paper said.

It added the Sadr Movement's end of the cease-fire will escalate the war in Mosul and Diyala cities, north of Baghdad, where U.S. forces and the Iraqi government carry out widespread military and security operations.

The paper said ending the cease-fire will also escalate the threats coming from about 80,000 of the so-called local defenders -- Sunnis split from al-Qaida -- and other Sunni fighting groups to rebel against the Iraqi government and the U.S. forces.

"These factions threaten that if their demands aren't met, they would re-engage with al-Qaida though the latter harmed Sunni civilians in Sunni areas," the editorial said.

The paper said continuous spats between the Kurdish and central governments over oil and Kirkuk encourage the Sadr Movement to threaten an end to the cease-fire.

"The deteriorating security situation in the southern cities, especially Basra and Thiqar, is another motivation for the Sadr Movement to resume fighting," it added.

The paper said American supervisors expect a resumption by the Mahdi Army of its military operations, which could be a warrant for a "second war."

The paper said U.S. analysts consider the cease-fire period as a break during which the militia reorganized.

The paper said the Sadr Movement's threat to end the cease-fire is motivated by events such as the end of President Bush's term and the uncertainty of the U.S. forces in Iraq or the future of the long-term agreement after Bush is out of the White House.

The editorial said the current situation is very "destructive."

"One spark could lead to a second war that would last for many years; a war more severe than the first sectarian war."