Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 18, 2020

Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event as Kamala Harris listens. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Stephen Wertheim, The Guardian: The American public wants less war. Can Joe Biden deliver?

Three-quarters of Americans want to bring US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. The Biden-Harris ticket needs to transform US foreign policy for good

Senator Kamala Harris is a “big slasher of funds for our military”, says President Trump. If only. The truth is that Harris, like the person who selected her as his running mate, is a mainstream advocate of globe-spanning US military dominance. Last month she voted against cutting the $740bn annual military budget by a mere 10%, though she said she supported reductions as a goal.

This November, US voters, facing an uncontrolled pandemic and economic collapse, will choose between one ticket that insists on spending more on the military than the world’s next 10 countries combined – and another ticket that might, after careful deliberation and under the right circumstances, be willing to outspend just seven or eight.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 18, 2020

Belarusians are speaking as one: Alexander Lukashenko's time is up -- David Kurkovskiy, The Guardian

EU emergency summit on Belarus: What's at stake? -- Bernd Riegert, DW

Is Belarus closer to the West, or to Russia? -- Bernd Riegert, DW

How Iran tried to bribe Taliban operatives with bounties on US soldiers, according to a former Taliban commander -- Mitch Prothero, Business Insider

The United Nations failed to renew the arms embargo on Iran. What does that mean? -- Hollie McKay, Fox News

Beirut explosion: what is the mood like in the country? -- The Guardian

Can India economically decouple itself from China? -- Nikkei Asian Review

The 'Asian Century' depends on China and India working together -- C Uday Bhaskar, The National

Is an India-U.S. alliance looming and where does it leave China? -- CGTN

Sudan coup: Are military takeovers on the rise in Africa? -- Christopher Giles, BBC

A Somber 75th for the United Nations -- Stewart Patrick, World Politics Review

Coronavirus: as infectious strain D614G spreads in Malaysia and Philippines, should we be worried? -- SCMP

What happens if you catch the new coronavirus? -- Al Jazeera