Palin switches roles to give Strykers a warm sendoff in Fairbanks
Published Thursday, September 11, 2008
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FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- Sarah Palin, speaking as Alaska's governor and the mother of a soldier, called the ongoing war in Iraq a “righteous cause” at a deployment ceremony Thursday for Fort Wainwright’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry.
“For every soldier that leaves us today, it is a choice that defines you and always will,” Palin said in the course of her brief speech, which was scheduled before GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain chose her as his running mate.“You could have chosen an easier, more comfortable, certainly safer path; instead you have chosen service.”
The governor’s oldest son, Track, who enlisted in the Army last Sept. 11, is a private in the 1-25th who will head to Iraq with the brigade in the coming days. Palin did not directly talk about her son, but did talk about the importance of family to those deploying.
“As you depart today, don’t mind us, your parents, your friends, your family if we allow for a few tears or we hold you just a little closer once more before you’re gone, because we’re going to miss you,” she said. “We can’t help it. We’re going to miss you.
“This is one of the moments when we have to face the fact that you may not need our protection anymore,” she continued. “In fact, you’re the ones who will now be protecting us, protecting America.”
Track Palin is part of a battalion that provides security to brigade commanders among other responsibilities, said Maj. Chris Hyde, the 1-25th’s public affairs officer. He has not received any special treatment since his mother declared her candidacy for national office, Hyde confirmed.
The Palin family has been reluctant to discuss the reasons behind Track’s enlistment, and he has so far refused all media requests for interviews.
Brigade commanders felt it was important to schedule the ceremony on the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., and Palin also took the opportunity to tie the Iraq war to that day.
“You’ll be there to defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the deaths of thousands of Americans,” Palin said. “You’ll be there because America can never go back to that false sense of security that came before Sept. 11, 2001.”
But Palin, who concluded her remarks with an Army “hooah,” promised that America had turned a corner in Iraq, and victory was imminent.
“The troops who served and struggled through years of setbacks have now brought victory within site” she said. “Because of their hard-won gains, because they confronted evil and overcame adversity, you and others like you will be there to see the mission through. You will be there to win. You will see victory.”
To see a video of the deployment ceremony, click here .
Video contributed by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
Community Discussion
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It was a hard but beautiful sight to see all of our "boys" lined up. Gov Palin was a graceful speaker, that in my opinion gave her soul in her words. I was honored to be there and to support my husband and all of our Alaskan Soldiers headed for their duty. God Bless and Please keep them in your prayers! HOOAH!
God Bless all of our Soldiers!
ic2020 Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. That has been proven over and over again.
So much for NOT politicising this even. Hell, she outright went the extra distance and made it "righteous", which is religious. Now that's all we need.
Please be civil on this day Sept. 11th...So many died...Let's please honor our lost love ones and those who choose to serve our country. Thank you to all the soldiers and their families. I will pray for your safe return and that you will soon be reuinited.
God Bless.
The ceremony was beautiful, it finally hit so many of us today that our family members leave next weef to war for atleast a year! Please on this post remember that and be respectful! Governor Palin you did a beautiful job speaking to our boys! Track is in the presence of some incredible men and women. God Bless all.....HOOOAH!
God Bless America!!
Awesome ceremony! Thank you for supporting our guys and gals!!!
Draconianslacker you are so deceived!!!!!
Thank you strykers and all of the other men and women serving in our military for your dedication to the mission. We couldn't be more proud of you.:)
as a retired member of the 172nd, i know that these guys and girls will do good and make their country proud. It is nice to see the non state posters staying away frpom this.
draconianslacker,
I agree that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, but the people we are fighting there are not the Iraqi's. We defeated their terrorist supporting regime's military, and the Iraqi people, tried, convicted, and hung that former President. If you think the people who planned and attacked us prior to and on 9/11 are not still planning and attacking our Soldiers to this day in Iraq, then you are naive. Our fight against the Iraqi people ended years ago and we have been fighting along side them since we toppled their sadistic leadership.
Our fight against terrorism continues across the globe. Just because it's not happening in our back yard, is not reason to believe that our Soldiers are putting their lives on the wrong line for the wrong reason. America did not select the line, the terrorists did. It isn't American Politicians setting IEDs, sniping, or rigging drugged up women and childern with suicide vests to subvert the Iraqi Government and attack our Soldiers and their security forces. It isn't our Soldiers kidnapping, murdering, and torturing the families of Iraqi leaders to influence them. Those are not military tactics, they are terrorist tactics.
If you ask our Soldiers if they would rather fight against people using those tactics here in Fairbanks or in Iraq, believe me, they prefer to keep you safe. Afghanistan on the other hand is less organized politically and less capable of uniting than Iraq was. It may require a much longer presence and more troops to set the conditions that allow their government to establish a lasting stand against terrorism.
Afghanistan is also under a NATO command and that means that NATO (not the President of the United States) is in charge of that battle space. The tactical and strategic decisions there are not being made in the Pentagon. Contrary to popular rumor, men and women from other countries are fighting along side our Soldiers and our commanders ask when they need more support. That support should not always have to be 'American' Soldiers.
In Rememberence to those Families who have lost a loved one in this war since it began, not on 9/11, but since the 1983 bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut Lebannon when 17 Americans were killed, and not recognized, aknowledged, or declared as an act of war until after 21 more attacks against Americans including the one on 11 September 2001. Let us lead the world in this fight, and may our Soldiers always be willing to take and hold the high ground! God's speed Arctic Wolves.
Palin has demonstrated her ability to lead in Alaska by taking on international oil companies and negotiating a fair deal (AGIA) to bring a pipeline of American Energy to the people and will continue to take on tough job's for this nation. She is the only person on the presidential ticket who brings any form of executive experience to the table. American's have reason to feel much safer in her hands than in Obama's or for that matter, Biden's. Check out www.palinfightscorruption.com to learn how she demonstrated leadership in Alaska.
WOW BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO SEE ALL THAT SUPPORT AT MY HUSBANDS A FEW WEEKS AGO... GUESS ONE OF THEIR MOMS NEEDS TO BE RUNNING FOR VICE PRESIDENT BEFORE ANY OTHER CIVIES SHOW UP!
GOD BLESS ALL TROOPS IN EVERY BRANCH!!!!!!
COME HOME SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!
PROUD_US_ARMY_WIFE: Excellent post and something I was actually thinking of at the ceremony. I have consistently supported the troops by participation in the Soldier of the Quarter recognitions for at least the last 10 years. As a sponsor of the events I receive invitations to attend a lot of functions at Ft. Wainwright, like yesterday's ceremony. As I was looking through the gathered crowd, it was saddening to see so many people there who normally don't support the troops with attendance...but when it comes to a high-visibility event where "it's cool to be seen", there they are. Shame on them for being Supporters of Convenience (SOC). If they really want to continue showing their support for our men and women who put their lives on the line for all of us every day...at least attend some of the less publicized events and show their support on a more regular basis, like a number of us do. Then to see the local political candidates there (almost all of who never attend any regular support functions) just turned my stomach. I was proud yesterday of all of the soldiers...God Bless them as they embark on an important mission in the quest for a more peaceful world.
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