I'm still entertaining the possibility that the accomplishment involved was getting elected in the US. That implies an outsider's view of the US and its recent trends even grimmer and less comfortable than I had assumed. Otherwise, the ploy or tactic; the prize as a dare, or backbone stiffener; makes sense as well.
If you didn't know that the Nobel Peace Prize has been heavily politicized for a long time... well, now you do.
He might as well give it back. He is going to have to stay in Afganistan. Maybe they gave him that to try and get him to pull out.
Obama did nothing substantial for peace to deserve such a prize . Politics meddling and lobbying are behind the scenes secrets . Obama is following G.W. Bush steps in many areas including have the same secretary of defence Robert Gates......etc . Is G.W. Bush getting the Noble Peace Prize next ?. Who knows politics is full of surprise !!!.
I invite you to read the words of the Nobel Insitute and their rational for honoring President Obama in this way. http://nobelpeaceprize.org/en_GB/home/announce-2009/ It appears to me to be more of an endorsement of the man and what he is trying to accomplish.
what is the big deal here? obama did not start any wars. we are becoming a civilization with perpetual diaper rash.
Oh! I used to think Nobel prizes go to people for their works, but it seems just words are enough these days. I have nothing against Mr. Obama, but I'm sure there are so many other people who deserved the prize more than him. I personally would go for Turkish prime minister Mr. Erdogan for his ACTIONS: - To end the Kurdish plight in Turkey and establish a just system despite fierce internal opposition (which has cost/is costing him a lot of ballots). - To end the century-long animosity with Armenia despite fierce inernal opposition (which has cost/is costing him a lot of ballots). - To voice the Palesitinian plight in Gaza and try to make the golbal community move their ars to solve that critical issue after the Israel' assault and random killing of the civilians there. - To fight the gladio in Turkey and establish a more democratic and equal system. - To reduce the tension between Russia and Georgia after the war. - To establish better relations with the Iraqi government and the Kurdish authority there despite the oppsition from the strong Turkish army and make different groups in Iraq come together. - To considerably reduce the role of Turkish army in the politics and make the army chiefs understand that politics is the job of politicains and not the army (through secret meetings with them). - to Solve the long-lasting animosity with Syria and make a friendly relationship with that country. - To do his best to find a solution to the Cyrus problem. - To make Turkish economy do its best ever. - Doing his best not to punch Mr. Sarkozy in his face because of his frequesnt, stupid remarks regarding Turkey Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! TO NAME ONLY A FEW...
Chattercrash Some news from across the Pond: Yesterday a poll of 1,000 Brits by www.OnePoll.com revealed that 80 per cent believe the award has come too early and only one in five said the award was 'deserved'. One in three even went as far as to say that Obama should feel 'embarrassed'. And six out of ten said they felt the Nobel panel may have been influenced by the contrast between Obama's work and that of the previous presidency of George Bush. (Telegraph) And, for what it's worth, we do have one thing to thank the Nobel Committee for, regardless of whether we like President Obama or think he deserved the award or not: All the chatter about the award crashed Twitter. Maybe he deserves a Nobel for literature. ____________________ Notes: "Twitter crashes after Barack Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize". Telegraph. October 9, 2009. Telegraph.co.uk. October 10, 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...r-Barack-Obama-awarded-Nobel-Peace-Prize.html
This and that There is a silver lining to that scenario. To the one, I had long settled on the notion of a grim international view of the U.S. these last years, but by the outlook you propose, we are reminded of our prestige as a nation insofar as it means that much to people. • • • Sure, but one of the things that bothers me about how many presidents are "idiots" is that we Americans have elected them. We do seem to have a penchant for electing idiots. I mean, Obama seems pretty smart, so the only way I see him as an idiot is in general application. Who wants to be president, especially this time around? Given the challenges facing the nation these days, it's a fair argument that anyone who wants the job probably needs their head examined.
As far as I deduced from his "actions", he may deserve a Turkish Nobel, -if there is any I don't know-, but he has done nothing for disarmament of today's world which is one of the main criteria of deserving actual Nobel prize. I know that this guy once insulted an ordinary citizen by saying this: "Take your mother with you and go away". He did this because he simply didn't like the tone of citizen's critisism. He constantly sues journalists and cartoonists of his country since they take the mickey out of his behavioural problems. Mr. Erdogan had also behaved like a 6-year-old school boy and left an international panel with anger, just because he didn't like the behaviour of the moderator. He may be trying to portray Hugo Chavez style unconventional diplomatic entertainment, yet he only entertains himself and his unconditional followers. All in all, he doesn't portray even the basic requirements of a peaceful person. Just because he is trying to integrate his country to the rest of the world, does not mean that he illuminates the rest of the mankind with his attitude issues; there are many politicians around the world who are performing more substantial improvements for their countries than he has done for Turkey. He does not deserve any prize from the rest of the world, he deserves his country as his country deserved him.
Geez my incredibly awesome post on the topic has vanished. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Mod Note: It will improve our threads to communicate with your moderators directly in such matters (everyone) and not with off-topic posts. I'll check and see if there's been a mistake, and I sure hope it wasn't me...
It is still in your head. You have to power to recreate that awesome post! Go for it! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
My awesome post has disappeared as well. It was 12 pages of profound observations and devastating wit. Gone, in a flash! I'm not writing it all out again, but here are the first five sentences. Congratulations President Obama. I'm not sure what you have done to deserve the honour, but let's hope you live up to it. Perhaps it will deter you from declaring war on Iran. If so, it will be the most valuable peace medal ever struck......
Well I think the bottom line is the award makes it much more difficult for Republicans to paint him as an international buffoon and disgrace as they have been. And it makes it much more dificult for them to portray President Obama as a fascist as they have been. The Nobel Peace Prize throws a big monkey wrench in the Republican agenda and gives him a big political boost domestically and internationally.
Maybe that was half the point. They are recognizing him for changing the face of America on the world stage quickly and dramatically (people actually see America as a global citizen now, not an arrogant bully with too much power) and at the same time both giving him reason to push harder than he is (by giving him something to live up to) and enhancing the tools to get that done by shutting down some of these ridiculous arguments.
I think you hit the nail on the head. If you look at the Nobel Peace Prize reciepients most have been recognized for trying to move the world towards peace, not necessarily for making great achievements towards peace.
