In her first interview with the media since being picked as Republican John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin said that Georgia should join NATO and war might be necessary if Russia invaded the country again.

In the excerpts from the first of three interviews with ABC News' Charlie Gibson, Palin advocated the inclusion of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO.

When asked if the U.S. would go to war if Russia again if it attacked Georgia, the Alaska governor said: ""Perhaps so. 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.

"And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable."

On other questions of foreign policy and security, Palin toed the Republican line.

She was hawkish on the defence of Israel saying, "I don't think we should second guess the measures that Israel has to take to defend themselves and for their security."

Palin did not provide a straight answer when asked if the U.S. should be able to go into Pakistan to pursue terrorists along the Afghanistan border.

"Is that a yes?" Gibson asked her. "That you think we have the right to go across the border with or without the approval of the Pakistani government, to go after terrorists who are in the Waziristan area?"

Palin responded saying: "I believe that America has to exercise all options in order to stop the terrorists who are hell bent on destroying America and our allies. We have got to have all options out there on the table."

However, her running mate McCain said in July that he would not chase even Osama bin Laden into Pakistan because it's a sovereign nation.

In the interview, Palin seems to not understand a question about whether she supports the Bush doctrine, and Gibson explains the doctrine to her. The doctrine, which states the U.S. has the right to a pre-emptive strike against a nation if it thinks it may attack it, is considered one of the keys to the White House's foreign policy.

Defends experience

Palin, who has yet to serve two years as governor and used to be mayor of a town of 7,000, said she didn't hesitate when asked by McCain to be his vice-presidential nominee.

"I answered him 'Yes' because I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war."

"You can't blink. So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate," Palin, 44, said.

Gibson also questioned Palin about a quote she previously made in an Alaskan church saying, "Our national leaders are sending U.S. soldiers on a task that is from God" and asked if she thought the U.S. was fighting a holy war.

Palin said she was referring to an Abraham Lincoln quote and said," I would never presume to know God's will or to speak God's words."

Then when asked about her son Track, who is going to Iraq, was on a mission from God, she said she didn't know.

"I don't know if the task is from God, Charlie," Palin said.

Palin hiding from questions

Since her Sept. 3 speech at the Republican convention, Palin has not given an interview until the ABC interview and has been working with a number of Bush White House aides on getting her up to speed on foreign and national policy.

The introduction of Palin to the Republican ticket rocketed McCain into a slight lead or dead heat in national polls over Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

Palin has so far not faced the questions raised shortly after her nomination. She has repeatedly said she shut down the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," when in fact she was originally a supporter of it.

She has promoted herself as a governor against earmark projects, but her record does not indicate that.

Palin is also under investigation by an Alaskan ethics committee for her firing of the state's public safety commissioner for allegedly not bowing to her demands to fire her brother-in-law.

Palin has also been quiet while campaigning, and has stuck basically to the same speech she gave at the convention.

Reporters have been told by the McCain campaign that all Palin flights are to be off the record, which some reporters have objected to.

There is no word when Palin will do more interviews.

McCain campaign manager Rick Davis told reporters that Palin will"agree to an interview when we think it's time and when she feels comfortable doing it."