By Steve Holland

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said farewell on Thursday to 4,000 U.S. troops heading to Iraq, including her 20-year-old son, and assured them that victory was in sight.

Alaska Gov. Palin urged the troops to "make us proud" and that they should allow their loved ones to shed a few tears at their departure.

"We can't help it, we're going to miss you," Palin said at a deployment ceremony at Fort Wainwright, a U.S. Army base near Fairbanks. The troops based here are known as "America's Arctic Warriors."

Track Palin, the oldest of Palin's five children, is leaving in the next week or so for Iraq as part of the 4,000-soldier 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. His brigade will be on a 12-month deployment there.

The young Palin will be part of the security force for the brigade leadership, serving in a heavily armored vehicle.

The troops stood in formations on a parade ground at the base as Palin and the base commanders spoke and family members watched from bleacher seats.

Palin invoked the Sept. 11 attacks, saying the soldiers were going to serve in a "just and vital cause" to protect the United States.

"America can never go back to that false sense of security that came before Sept. 11, 2001," she said.

She declared that U.S. troops in Iraq have "now brought victory within sight.

In a personal note, she told the troops: "This is one of the moments when you're going to have to face the fact that you're not going to need our protection any more."

NO CAMPAIGNING

"In fact, you're going to be protecting us, protecting America," she said. "It's left for each family to bear the stress and some fear and some loneliness in the best way."

U.S. political candidates are forbidden from campaigning on American military bases. Palin's speech was part of her duties as state governor.

The Defense Department ruled that television networks could not broadcast the event live and reporters were told not to interview Palin or her son or conduct any campaign-related interviews while on the base.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has strongly backed the current U.S. war strategy in Iraq, saying a 2007 U.S. troop build-up has succeeded and accusing Democratic rival Barack Obama of seeking a precipitous withdrawal.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commanding general of the U.S. Army Pacific, told the troops, "the situation is much improved but it is not resolved."

Palin, a relative unknown chosen two weeks ago to be McCain's running mate in the Nov. 4 presidential election, said in her first news media interview on Thursday she was up to the challenge of being the country's No. 2 official.

Critics have questioned her readiness to assume the presidency if something happens to McCain, who is 72. But she said she told McCain she was ready.

"I answered '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," Palin told ABC News.

(Editing by Alan Elsner)

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