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'People': Sarah Palin Sees Her Son Off to Iraq
People Magazine ^ | Sept. 11, 2008 | Lorenzo Benet

Posted on 09/12/2008 1:25:40 PM PDT by ponygirl

Sarah Palin formally sent her 19-year-old son Track off to Iraq with a speech before his unit in Fairbanks, Alaska.

"As you depart us, your parents, your friends and family, if you allow for a few tears and (allow us) to hold you closer before you're gone," she told the troops of the Army's 1st Stryker Brigade, Delta company, on Thursday.

The Republican vice presidential candidate didn't mention her son by name in her remarks during the deployment ceremony that coincided with the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Members of Track's unit are expected to begin arriving in Iraq over the next several weeks

In an interview with PEOPLE in June, Sarah Palin said she was proud of her son, but that, "Track didn't ask our permission to sign up."

"He's young, strong and smart and this is a good positive step for him," she added. "He gave up hockey to do this and I'm very supportive. I believe in the cause, and hope and pray we have a worthy cause."

Army Col. Burt Thompson, who heads Track's unit at Fort Wainright, Alaska, told the Anchorage Daily News that Track receives no preferential treatment. After training in the Mojave Desert this summer, his unit is believed to be headed to Diyala, the fourth most violent of Iraq's provinces. He will operate an armored eight-wheeled, 19-ton vehicle called a Stryker and serve as a bodyguard for brigade leaders.

Track's father, Todd Palin, whose dad is an Army vet, told PEOPLE his only regret was that Track – who has an Alaska tattoo on his shoulder and a Christian fish on calf – didn't investigate other branches of the service more thoroughly before enlisting.

But he supports his son's decision. "He's looking forward to it," Todd said. "He's an independent young man."

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Biden's son Beau, 39, is also headed for Iraq, as a military lawyer.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: 2008veep; beaubiden; bidenfamily; godspeed; iraq; mccainpalin; military; militaryfamilies; palin; palinfamily
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To: ponygirl
my letter to People ragazine,

Dear People ,

We know you hate Palin but would really hate to see anything bad happen to her son, right? So do you think you could maybe tell the enemy at least the time of his arrival. After all you gave them his unit, identifying markings and of course vehicle type. Then of course there was job description as protection escort. Maybe you could even find out which vehicle in convoy, say lead vehicle 1 or vehicle 3, he was riding in order to let them know just a little more info .

I saw the article online and was shocked at the absolute depths of your stupidity and blind hatred for Palin.

How about unit, office building and deployment status for Biden's son. I mean after all he's going to war as a.......... er..... lawyer. Can't be to careful filing briefs, what with paper cuts and such.

D. Vomer

21 posted on 09/12/2008 1:51:33 PM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck....... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.,)
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To: ponygirl
You are not being to sensitive. It is disgusting, its as though they want him killed.
22 posted on 09/12/2008 1:52:08 PM PDT by svcw (http://baskettastic.com/)
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To: ponygirl

I absolutely agree. It reminded me of when Prince Harry went over with his troops. Just put a lighted sign over Track’s head, will ya. Nincompoops.


23 posted on 09/12/2008 1:53:39 PM PDT by misharu (US Congress = children without adult supervision)
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To: ponygirl; Cindy

Too late now.

:-(


24 posted on 09/12/2008 1:54:54 PM PDT by fanfan (SCC:Canadians have constitutional protection to all opinions, as long as they are based on the facts)
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To: agere_contra
Hey, don’t knock him. Everyone knows lawyers are a vital force-multiplier on the modern battlefield.

gee, let me think. You're right... I can remember a little fire-fight in Indonesia where I was thinking.... "man I could use a f---ing radio that works and about 500 rounds of ammo.... aw sh#t, I forgot. He get that lawyer and put him on that right flank to cover the road and give me some arty and cover fire....hahahahahahahahahaha"

25 posted on 09/12/2008 1:55:52 PM PDT by Dick Vomer (liberals suck....... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.,)
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To: bagman
This is from a Stryker Brigade in Diyale just a few months ago...

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/05/last-fall-many.html

26 posted on 09/12/2008 1:56:46 PM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: Dick Vomer

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Biden’s son Beau, 39, is also headed for Iraq, as a military lawyer.P>gee, who’d of thunk it?

I would have guessed he was going as a lobbyist.

He is probably going over their to prosecute our troops for fabricated “war crimes”.


27 posted on 09/12/2008 2:08:20 PM PDT by Above My Pay Grade
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To: ponygirl
Okay, either I'm being too sensitive, or it seems that the MSM is revealing a bit too much info on Track Palin.

Way, way too much information. They also should not have said specifically where he's going and what his duties will be.

How I despise the media.

28 posted on 09/12/2008 2:14:16 PM PDT by Allegra (Prayers up for all in Ike's path. Please be safe...my hometown.)
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To: ponygirl
Other family tattoos in the news:

'First Slacker' Levi tattoos name of Palin's daughter on his finger

29 posted on 09/12/2008 2:16:47 PM PDT by Between the Lines (I am very cognizant of my fallibility, sinfulness, and other limitations.)
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To: Dead Dog
“Beau, 39, is also headed for Iraq, as a military lawyer

In search of another Haditha

You may be right, but I will give the man the benefit of the doubt and say “Thanks for serving”

30 posted on 09/12/2008 2:27:34 PM PDT by Unassuaged (I have shocking data relevant to the conversation!)
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To: fanfan

Biden’s son is going to Iraq as a lawyer...democrats..values I can’t agree with.


31 posted on 09/12/2008 2:29:32 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: Cindy
Biden’s son is going to Iraq as a lawyer...

__________________________________________

No, he is going to the war zone as a Captain in the Delaware National Guard.

Either I missed the memo that freepers mock the military if the one being mocked is a dem or you are off base.

32 posted on 09/12/2008 2:35:15 PM PDT by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: Cindy

Seems fitting, though.


33 posted on 09/12/2008 2:39:19 PM PDT by fanfan (SCC:Canadians have constitutional protection to all opinions, as long as they are based on the facts)
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To: fanfan

Yes.


34 posted on 09/12/2008 2:40:16 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: PetroniusMaximus
his unit is believed to be headed to Diyala

True and no big secrete.

the fourth most violent of Iraq’s provinces

True again, but in a relative sense. Reuters had a story the other day about 1000 families returning to Diyala recently since the violence has decreased so much. (Diyala is probably less dangerous than Detroit.) They'll be playing pretty much 'third string' behind the Iraqis and some other folks.

He will operate an armored eight-wheeled, 19-ton vehicle called a Stryker

A lot better than being on unmounted patrols

and serve as a bodyguard for brigade leaders

A little bit back from the pointy end of the spear.

My point is this, even if the MSM is trying send signals, most of this info has been out there for a while. Even though he may be new to Iraq, in that group of 4000 that are going, are some very tough, battle hardened veterans. Haji is getting his arse handed to him on a regular basis over there. Kind of like Obama of late here.

35 posted on 09/12/2008 2:47:31 PM PDT by tbpiper (Obama/Biden: Instead of Ebony and Ivory, we have Arrogance and Insolence.)
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To: tbpiper
I posed the question because I'm not familiar with how the military releases that sort of deployment information.

But what about publicizing the "identifying marks?" And with such a bizarre segue?

36 posted on 09/12/2008 9:20:19 PM PDT by ponygirl
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