Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 29, 2019

Andrew Roth, The Guardian: Ukraine election: will voter anger propel TV comic to presidency?

Actor Vladimir Zelenskiy is tapping into the protest vote as favourite in Sunday’s vote

Ukraine goes to the polls on Sunday with a comic who plays the president on his own TV show the favourite to become the next president in a protest vote against the country’s leaders.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, an actor with no prior political experience, is likely to win the first round with a lead of up to 10% in some polls. Behind him are Petro Poroshenko, the current president who made a fortune from his confectionery empire, and Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister who has decried corruption and promised to boost pensions and cut heating bills. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two will face each other in a runoff later in April.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 29, 2019

Crisis-hit Ukraine desperate for savior in presidential election -- Roman Goncharenko, DW

How To Watch (And Understand) Ukraine's Presidential Election -- Christopher Miller, RFE

Russia Enjoys the Show in Tight Ukrainian Election -- Evan Gershkovich, Moscow Times

Quit Harping on U.S. Aid to Israel -- James Kirchick, The Atlantic

The Islamic State Was a Sham -- Daniel R. DePetris, National Interest

Algerian protesters reject military's gambit to maintain power -- Simon Speakman Cordall, Al-Monitor

Escalating the US Air War in Afghanistan Isn’t Working -- Bonnie Kristian, Defense One

Thailand election: Full vote count in but no winner yet -- BBC

China's Twenty-First Century Difficulties -- Leland Lazarus & John Brunetti, National Interest

In China, Yet Another Course Correction -- Phillip Orchard, Geopolitical Futures

Pakistan Doesn’t Want Modi to Win -- Fahd Humayun, Foreign Policy

The Guardian view on Theresa May’s defeat: three strikes and out -- Guardian editorial

The Kosovo War in Retrospect -- James Goldgeier and Gorana Grgić, War On The Rocks

NATO is the obstacle to improving Russian-Western relations -- Ruslan Pukhov, DEfense News  

Venezuela leadership duel galvanized by US, Russia rivalry -- AFP