Ms. Sobchak Goes to America

In an article posted to Quartz.com:
https://qz.com/1202861/behind-ksenia-sobchaks-battle-with-putin-to-be-president-of-russia/

The main candidate for the presidency in Russia, other than Vladimir Putin, is Ksenia Sobchak. She is an interesting figure with a high-profile television career, but also with a very strong political background. The article is quite good. It describes her trip yesterday to New York City to throw light on the campaign and to show that not all Russian politicians are like Putin. I don't know if she is a stooge for Putin, but her credentials make her a viable candidate either way.

I haven't read her book of 123 policies, but one which I dislike (and it may surprise other Americans) is that she says Russia should get out of Crimea. Yes, I know there are sanctions against Putin for taking Crimea, but as I see world politics, that was a required step for him to maintain naval access to the Mediterranean. Any leader worth his salt would have done (or at least considered) the same. Ms. Sobchak should soften her stand on that one issue and keep all her other ideas of Liberalization.

My believe that the current world order can in short-order become much better, also leads me to believe that when America leaves Syria and if it mostly stays out of Pakistan and Afghanistan, that Russia might see fit to leave the Donbass region of Ukraine. A couple of positive steps such as these can make relations much better. Similarly, if North Korea and South Korea can create a path to progress for the North to become much more advanced and yet to restrain their interest in nuclear bombs, then there will be a new market in North-East Asia for many nations (Russians, Chinese, South Koreans, Japanese, (at some time) Americans, et al). It would require a lot of work and cooperation for North Korea to be advanced into the 21st century and that means commerce could flourish. How long it might take is anyone's guess. If Ms. Sobchak were to carry that message of economic opportunity in her campaign, it might help her.

Russia has a problem in its politics. Mr. Putin doesn't seem to like competitors. Perhaps it isn't him who kills them off, but he certainly jails them. Recently Alexander Navalny suffered that same fate. Some believe that since Ms. Sobchak and Mr. Putin have a long-time connection via her father, that she may survive better. I don't know if that's possible, but it would certainly be more interesting to Americans to see her receiving a unified 'protest of Putin' vote. I don't know if the people of Russia would want her brand of Liberalization, but as a protest candidacy she could certainly give voice to Putin's opponents. This is especially significant with Mr. Navalny out of the picture.