Are you sure, Pat?

Pat Buchanan is a big fan of Sarah Palin.  I'm a pretty big fan of both, so you'd think I'd agree with most of what Mr. Buchanan writes about Gov. Palin.  But I'm not so sure this time.  From this article, discussing Gov. Palin's interview with Charlie Gibson last week:

“Palin assured the group of her strong support for Israel, of her desire to see the United States move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and of her opposition to Iran’s aspirations to become a nuclear power, according to sources familiar with the meeting.”

...

Palin also volunteered that the Russian invasion was “unprovoked,” though Georgia attacked South Ossetia first. She followed up by saying that Georgia and Ukraine should be brought into NATO.

Would that mean America would have to go to war with Russia on behalf of Georgia in any new conflict, asked Gibson.

“Perhaps so,” said Palin.

....

In fairness to Palin, on issues like NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia, her answers reflect the views of the man who chose her. She has no option at present but to follow the line laid down by Scheunemann.

But make no mistake. Sarah Palin is no neocon. She did not come by her beliefs by studying Leo Strauss. She is a traditionalist whose values are those of family, faith, community and country, not some utopian ideology.

Wasilla, Alaska, is not a natural habitat of neoconservatives.

And her unrehearsed answers to Gibson’s questions reveal her natural conservatism. Asked if she agrees with the Bush Doctrine, Palin asked for clarification. “In what respect, Charlie?”

Gibson: “Do we have the right of an anticipatory self-defense?”

Yes, said Palin, “if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against (the) American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.”

Exactly. The intelligence must be legit and the threat “imminent.”

Interviewed by Alaska Business Monthly in March 2007 on the surge, Palin said, “I heard on the news about the new deployments, and while I support our president, I want to know that we have an exit plan in place.”

That is not the language of empire or “benevolent global hegemony.”

Palin may disappoint many conservatives in the next seven weeks by having to parrot the McCain-neocon line on NATO expansion, NAFTA and a “path to citizenship” for illegal aliens. But the battle for Sarah’s soul is not over.

For, again, the lady is no neocon. Nor is the husband Todd, First Dude of Alaska and former member of the “Alaska First” Independence Party.

Pat, I really want to agree with you here, but I have to admit that some of Gov. Palin's comments made me wonder if she is buying into the neocon viewpoint.  I fear that even if she is not in full agreement, she will go along with what is presented to her as the more popular view.  This is what President Bush did and it has led us to where we are today.

But I understand that anyone being picked as VP has to tow the line of the top ticket candidate quite a bit.  Should Sarah Palin become president at some point, my hope would be that she will "clean house" in a way that shows where her true convictions are.  Until that happens, I'm not going to write her a blank check with my support.