Palin talks tough on Russia, Iran

As governor, Palin has named an advisory panel to help Alaska adapt to the consequences of climate change, such as melting ice sheets that have changed fish and wildlife migration patterns. But her views on the cause probably have significant bearing on whether, like her running mate, she favors steps to curb carbon emissions that cause global warming. "John McCain and I are going to be working on what we do about it," she said.

On foreign policy, Palin largely echoed McCain. She said she favored bringing Ukraine and Georgia into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, for instance -- though Russia would consider such a move a threat to its security. So under the NATO alliance, Gibson asked, would the United States have to go to war in response to a Russian invasion of Georgia?

"Perhaps so," she responded. "I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help."

Gibson alluded to McCain's recent statement that Alaska's proximity to Russia lent Palin some expertise on that nation, asking Palin to explain.

"They're our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska -- from an island in Alaska," she said.

As for Iran, Palin said nuclear weapons under the control of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be "extremely dangerous to everyone on this globe." She called for a hands-off approach to Israel if it decided to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

"We cannot second-guess the steps that Israel has to take to defend itself," she said.

Palin's interviews took place on the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes. McCain and Democratic rival Barack Obama observed the occasion with a rare break in their daily exchange of campaign attacks.

As part of her first Alaska homecoming since McCain introduced her as his running mate, Palin went to an Army base outside Fairbanks on Thursday to attend an Iraq deployment ceremony for a brigade of soldiers, including her 19-year-old son, Track.

In the sit-down with Gibson, she faced questions about statements on the Iraq war that she made at an Assembly of God church that she sometimes attends in her hometown, Wasilla, of which she is a former mayor.

A video shows Palin asking a group to pray that the nation's leaders were sending troops to Iraq "on a task that is from God."