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Sarah Palin on Iraq and Foreign Policy
Q: "The Bush doctrine as I understand it is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with us?" PALIN: "Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligent and legitimate evidence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country."
Q: "Do we have the right, in your mind, to go over the Pakistani border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government? PALIN: "In order to stop Islamic extremists, those terrorists, who would seek to destroy America and our allies we must do whatever it takes and we must not blink."
Q: Do you believe the US should negotiate with leaders like Assad and Ahmadinejad (Iran)? A: I think with Ahmadinejad personally, he is not one to negotiate with. You can't just sit down with him with no preconditions being met.
Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay ... he [Ahmadinejad] wants to meet them without preconditions.
Q: What should we do about a nuclear Iran? A: We have got to make sure these weapons of mass destruction are not given to those hands Ahmadinejad, not that he would use them, but that he would allow terrorists to use them.
"Q: You recently said three times that you would 'never second guess Israel if that country decided to attack Iran.' Why not? A: We shouldn't second guess Israel's security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust for one. Israel has got to have the opportunity and the ability to protect itself. They are our closest ally in the Middle East. We need them, they need us, and we shouldn't second guess their effort."
"PALIN: Well, first, we are friends of Israel, and I don’t think that we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves, and for their security. GIBSON: So if we didn’t second guess it and if they decided they needed to do it, because Iran was an existential threat, we would be cooperative or agree with that? PALIN: I don’t think we can second guess what Israel has to do to secure its nation. GIBSON: So if it felt necessary, if it felt the need to defend itself by taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, that would be all right? PALIN: We cannot second guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself."
"I support President Bush's efforts to stop terrorism by taking the fight to the terrorists. In the Iraq war, I would like to see the president develop an exit strategy to get our troops home."
Anchorage Daily News: 2006 gubernatorial candidate profile Oct 22, 2006
"Q: Are we continuing on the proper course in Iraq? A: In the past five years, there hasn't been a successful terrorist strike on United States soil and that's no accident. It is our gratitude that we need to show to our military, to our troops for keeping us safe. I support them being over there. I support our president. I support our military. But of course, I want to see that exit strategy being developed and being revealed to our public. This hits me near and dear to my heart as I'm raising teenagers. A 17-year-old son who is interested in the military. Of course, you know I think about it every day, if that were my son or my daughter over there. I want our troops to come home safely. "
"Q: We've lost a lot of Alaska's military members to the war in Iraq. How do you feel about sending more troops into battle, as President Bush is suggesting? A: I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place; I want assurances that we are doing all we can to keep our troops safe."
Q&A with Alaska Business Monthly Mar 1, 2007
"Ramping up domestic supplies of energy is the only way to become energy independent, the only way that we are going to become a more secure nation. And I say this, of course, knowing the situation we are in right now--at war, not knowing what the plan is to ever end the war we are engaged in, understanding that Americans are seeking solutions and are seeking resolution in this war effort. So energy supplies and being able to produce and supply domestically is going to be a big part of that."
Q&A with Time Magazine's Jay Newton Small Aug 14, 2008
"The surge principles, not the exact strategy, but the surge principles that have succeeded in Iraq need to be implemented in Afghanistan."
Q: You met with President Karzai of Afghanistan. I know the McCain campaign has called for a surge in Afghanistan, but that country is, as you know, dramatically different than Iraq. Why do you believe additional US troops will solve the problems there? A: Because we can't afford to lose in Afghanistan as we cannot afford to lose in Iraq either. These are the central fronts on the 'War on Terror.' I asked President Karzai, 'is that what you are seeking?' also that is the strategy that has worked in Iraq that John McCain has pushed for, more troops, a counterinsurgency strategy, and he said 'yes.'