Governor Palin's Experience As Commander In Chief

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
[url="http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/08/31/before-liberals-dismiss-governor-palins-experience-as-commander-in-chief-of-alaskas-national-guard.php"]Source[/url]

Alaska is the first line of defense in our missile interceptor defense system. The 49th Missile Defense Battalion of the Alaska National Guard is the unit that protects the entire nation from ballistic missile attacks. It's on permanent active duty, unlike other Guard units.
As governor of Alaska, Palin is briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counterterrorism. Her exposure to classified material may rival even Biden's.

She's also the commander in chief of the Alaska State Defense Force (ASDF), a federally recognized militia incorporated into Homeland Security's counterterrorism plans.

Palin is privy to military and intelligence secrets that are vital to the entire country's defense. Given Alaska's proximity to Russia, she may have security clearances we don't even know about.

[Justin86]

Whoa. I was not expecting that.

Sounds like she might be good in dealing with Putin as well. Doesn't matter if she's the President or not in '08, he'll still be there in 2012.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Justin86

[dominicansoul]

Thank you for posting this. I felt that she must not be some dumb ox when it comes to foreign policy and military intelligence, being that Alaska is so very close to the Russian border.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1648305' date='Sep 5 2008, 12:23 PM']Thank you for posting this. I felt that she must not be some dumb ox when it comes to foreign policy and military intelligence, being that Alaska is so very close to the Russian border.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
and alaska being next to canada, one of the U.S.A's biggest trading partners.

[homeschoolmom]

I did not have any idea that the Alaska NG was on duty full time! Someone better get the word out there because every time she mentions the National Guard it sounds a little wimpy (like being in charge of a boy scout troop) rather than being the important defense that it is.

(No offense to the National Guard, of course. I only hear of them being called up during disasters and the like-- very important, but not full time.)

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
i didn't know either!

[CatherineM]

Their air/sea rescue component is also huge. They get called in with the Coast Guard to pull fishermen off sinking ships, and hikers lost on Denali. I saw an educational show about the training these guys go through, and their Air National Guard PJ's are impressive. She has had to respond to natural disasters too, like volcano eruptions.

[princessgianna]

WOW! Palin is looking good!

[Norseman82]

I did previously post about it in summary here:

[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s=&showtopic=84359&view=findpost&p=1646864"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...t&p=1646864[/url]

But it is good you posted about it in more detail.

[SpareTime]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1648314' date='Sep 5 2008, 01:40 PM']I did not have any idea that the Alaska NG was on duty full time! Someone better get the word out there because every time she mentions the National Guard it sounds a little wimpy (like being in charge of a boy scout troop) rather than being the important defense that it is.

(No offense to the National Guard, of course. I only hear of them being called up during disasters and the like-- very important, but not full time.)[/quote]

Not sure if you're aware, but the NG actually is called up for just about anything they are needed for. One of my old teachers recently returned from a 4 year stint in Iraq, and she was only enrolled in the NG, not anything else.

[dairygirl4u2c]

[url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_earmarks"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_..._palin_earmarks[/url]

[quote]ST. PAUL, Minn. - John McCain touts Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a force in the his battle against earmarks and entrenched power brokers, but under her leadership the state this year asked for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain's top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens.

That's more than any other state received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year, and runs counter to the reformer image that Palin and the McCain campaign are pushing. Other states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based watchdog group.

Palin actually reduced the state government's requests for special projects this year to 31 earmarks totaling $198 million, about $295 person, in the wake of President Bush's demand for a cutback in earmarks.

The state government's earmark requests to Congress in her first year in office exceeded $550 million, more than $800 per resident. But there's only so much Palin could do with state bureaucrats used to a free-flowing spigot of federal dollars from Washington.[/quote]


[url="http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/about-sarah-palin-a-letter-from-anne-kilkenny/741/"]http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/ab...e-kilkenny/741/[/url]

[quote]Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a “fiscal conservative”. During her 6 years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration weren’t enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of property that the City didn’t even have clear title to, that was still in litigation 7 yrs later–to the delight of the lawyers involved! The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.[/quote]

Edited September 7, 2008 by dairygirl4u2c

[hoosieranna]

[quote name='Kirisutodo333' post='1647211' date='Sep 4 2008, 11:05 AM']12 years? Come on are you kidding me? Typical, typical, typical. 12 years to 2 years, what a wonderful spin! Go and sell that somewhere else. Try 143 days and 0 days of "executive experience." Oh and the fact that he can't point to any accomplishments as a community organizer. But he wants change right? And to tax, tax, tax! Oh and kill, kill, kill! God forbid his daughter would be "punished" with a baby.[/quote]

"No accomplishments?" What do you require in order for something to be an "accomplishment?" Sources? Numbers? Hearsay from a neighbor? And Palin's "extensive experience as CIC of the Alaska National Guard?" If we went solely by that MY former governor, who had two terms under his belt would be even more qualified. At least he is now a senator.

Palin, to me, seems a bit of a one-trick pony. Frankly, I'm tired of invading other countries, and fear it would continue to happen under another GOP administration. I realize this may cost me some friendly feelings. I don't usually post stuff like this unless I feel incredibly strongly about an issue. I felt strongly enough this time. That's all.

[url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_.../cvn_fact_check[/url]

[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/us/politics/07community.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&adxnnlx=1215436004-iAeFABIQpaOfjd1qRbjwcQ"]http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/07/us/polit...QpaOfjd1qRbjwcQ[/url]

[hoosieranna]

Yet more:

"What command experience does Palin have as head of the Alaska National Guard?

The Alaska governor has no command role with National Guard troops engaged in combat operations or with the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, which is stationed in Alaska. She does command the National Guard when it comes to natural disasters and homeland security. These issues are handled by a member of her cabinet, Maj. Gen. Craig, the adjutant general for Alaska, who also handles veterans' affairs. Palin has called up the guard only once, in 2007, to fight wildfires. They were on standby for a 2007 whaling conference during which they expected protesters but were never summoned.

Cindy McCain and others have asserted that Alaska's proximity to Russia has contributed to Palin's foreign-policy knowledge. What dealings has she had with Russia?

The campaign has not come up with any. Palin has never been to Russia."
[url="http://www.slate.com/id/2199362/"]http://www.slate.com/id/2199362/[/url]

edited for clarity

Edited September 8, 2008 by Nadezhda

[ardillacid]

[quote name='dairygirl4u2c' post='1649502' date='Sep 6 2008, 09:44 PM'][url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_earmarks"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_..._palin_earmarks[/url]




[url="http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/about-sarah-palin-a-letter-from-anne-kilkenny/741/"]http://www.thepresidentialcandidates.us/ab...e-kilkenny/741/[/url][/quote]
And that has what to do with the topic at hand?

[hoosieranna]

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1650748' date='Sep 8 2008, 02:54 PM']And that has what to do with the topic at hand? [/quote]

The Obama link was in response to another poster.

This link specifically addresses some of the claims being made by various political camps about Palin, such as her command of the AK Guard: [url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_.../cvn_fact_check[/url]. It's relevant to this particular topic.

edited for incomplete link

Edited September 8, 2008 by Nadezhda