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Does Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?
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U.S. President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said Obama had been awarded the prize for his calls to reduce the world’s stockpiles of nuclear weapons and work towards restarting the stalled Middle East peace process.
The committee praised Obama for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
“Very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future.”
The laureate wins a gold medal, a diploma and 10 million Swedish crowns (1.4 million dollars or 878,000 pounds).
Obama was one of a record 205 nominees for this year’s prize and the decision has come as a surprise to many. Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, had been tipped as one of the favourites.
Despite his ambitious international agenda, Obama is yet to make a significant breakthrough in the Middle East or effectively deal with the threat of Iran’s nuclear programme and his country is currently fighting wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Has Obama done enough to justify winning the Nobel Peace Prize? If not, who do you think should have won?
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you must be kidding
As I commented on Twitter, they should at least wait for him to drop the frankly ludicrous sanctions on Cuba.
I also suggested that it might be a MAJOR PR coup for him to turn it down on the grounds that he hasn’t done enough yet.
Having said that, with Henry Kissinger having won it in the past, they could quite justifiably give it to an inept wannabe serial killer for not being good enough at murder, safe in the knowledge that it would make more sense than Henry’s prize.
How strange- nominated 2 weeks after taking office- hmm- something is incredibly wrong here- what has he done? zip nada
something is very wonrg- what has he done? there are others so much more worrthy with a lifetime of work-not a nomination 2 weeks after becomng president
But he didn’t do anything yet…
This a resounding slap on the faces of the bushies, the neocons and the Israelis. A dumb president like Bush was easy to manipulate for the neocons and the Israelis. Their leaders brazenly announced the control they had over the bushies and the congress for eight years. Obama seems to be the exact opposite and they seem to hit the wall with every trick up their sleeve. Obama will be remembered if he can bring the paraiah nation Israel in to the international fold.
U.S. President Barack Obama deserves the committee award from little which can be seen in much better way. The fact remains, his courage, readiness and spirit of Carrying-Others-Along to meet with other world leaders are something recommendable for such an award. Not only that, from his leadership skills on both domestic and foreign issues as affects the world, the truth is, seating with people others regarded as adversary is the most worst limitation to ones success but his is determine to take all along in making the world a peaceful place for us. Such award in my only opinion shouldn’t be given to people that lead a right political straggle where hundreds and thousands of his/her innocent citizens dead at the expense of him been in office. Barack Obama deserves the award and some extra gifts for job well done. I hereby say Congratulation Mr. President!
Mone T.K
Athens Greece
Obama inspires. We are only seeing the very beginnings of what he will accomplish.
I voted for the guy, and I think he’ll do well — but I can’t make sense of this!!
I feel that Sri Lankan president Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse is the more appropriate person to be given the prize as he was instrumental in eliminating the LTTE which was the worst terror group in the world. They were not only responsible for many atrocities in Sri Lanka but many terrorist acitivities around the world. Compared to that, President Obama has not contributed much to peace.
I guess they’ll give a Nobel Peace Prize to just about anyone now a days. Maybe because he’s the first black president of America?
Has Obama actually done anything? I think not. What a joke!
The BBC reports that the last sitting US President to receive the award was Woodrow Wilson. While his heart may have been in the right place when creating the League of Nations (though after reading Keynes’ “The Economic Consequences of the Peace” I’m not even sure of that any more), a lot went wrong with it later on. Like WWII,
Awarding the prize to anyone younger than say 80, seems pretty bizarre, and if the prize committee really wanted to be taken seriously, they should probably stick to dead people.
A scandalous nomination. Mr. Obama not done anything yet outside out flying the world quite a lot. In addition, we are yet to find a country with as imperialistic a behavior as the US….
Obviously NO!
He has done NOTHING…NOTHING…And he’s advocated the Afgan war as a “rightous war”. This story should be retitled “JOKE OF THE WEEK”!
This is insane. His first year in office isn’t even over yet. What possible justification could there be for this? What possible motivation? I didn’t know that campaign rhetoric was enough to deserve the highest honor in civil rights….
I can’t believe there isn’t someone else out there in the world who didn’t deserve this more. And quite frankly, if I were Obama I’d probably be horrified by this because imagine the effect that this will have on his administration’s future ability to negotiate any sort of understanding between hostile parties… on one hand you have Country X whom everyone hates, on the other you have President Obama, who apparently walks on water, saves baby animals, and wins peace prizes for campaign slogans.
Seriously, bad form, Nobel Committee, bad form.
its tooo early to award him. with this very short time of presidentship, what did he do significantly for the world???
now i am thinking its not soo crazy even if judges award some nobel prize even to Bin Laden
There was a time in my life when I thought the people behind the Nobel Peace prize were credible. That was yesterday.
Obama not only doesn’t deserve any prize, except for “best supporting actor”, but he should be forcibly removed as president. And it WILL happen. Our military is already planning it. Tyranny will fail in America.
All for show. Rhetoric! Rhetoric! Rhetoric! But no actions to show for.
I think he just speak tooooooooooo… there are too many individuals who deserve it than Mr. Obama. i.e. Sri-Lankam Prime minister…i think in future Nobel committee will be a question?????????
He speaks too much in media about peace in US but when he is on the field he changes his speeches in different way…. so that people in that places will not hurt…. he said in his first speech about stopping aid to Pakistan …did he?? he knows that the aid from US was misused and will be misused … still he is doing that this Americans have only personal interest…
In short i will say change has came in America but not in American President….
I do not believe that he has made any sort of difference!
Yes, agreed that he must have come as a breath of fresh air after Bush but I’m sure there are more deserving people out there!
Obama winning Nobel raises questions on the very authenticity of the activity. Obama is undoubtedly the most promising politician today. He has inspired people around the globe, however there is very little to speak for what has he achieved. I wonder whether Obama himself would agree that he has done enough!! I won’t be surprised if Obama refuses to accept the award.
Wow. Well, it was Gore and now Obama, who is a popularity contest winner at most (with due respect to democracy). Is anyone blind to the politically charged motives of the Nobel Committee?
I’m giving him some benefit of the doubt, even though he is scary left-wing, but I’m not proud of this award at all. Meaningless. Basically they’re giving him an award because he talks pretty.
Normally the cart goes behind the horse.
Hopefully he succeeds in fulfilling the role of what might be reasonably expected of a Nobel Peace Prize winner… but then again maybe the prize has just made itself irrelevant. Mind you that might have happened following the award to Arafat, Rabin and Peres.
Congratulations, President Obama! This is a great day for America. Thank you and keep up the great work.
CCongrats Mr. President…when the World needed Gandhi, he was there. Our planet needs Barack Obama & more like him. Mr. Obama, like Mahatma Gandhi sincerely believes that “Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals”.
I say he keep his Gold Medal & Diploma, but use the monies to put into motion and organize a Global Youth Jamboree – to instil in our youth the notion of compassion and understanding and remove the barriers of hate & prejudice.
This is amazing. The scenic may say it’s all rhetoric and nothing concrete has been achieved by Obama.
But they miss one important point: the hope Obama brought to billions of people around the world. Hope is an incredibly powerful tool in achieving peace. And this hope engendered by Obama has calmed the nerves of the downtrodden around the world, send shockwaves perpetrators of atrocities, and brought down global tensions.
Is it just coincidental that within just 9 months America’s image around the world has so dramatically improved? Once again America is the most admired country in the world. Once again the world is at peace with America!
All talk and NO action so far. Appears to be a nice bloke though! Overall it is undeserved.
I was the first person to congratulate Mr.Obama,my twitter friend,by sweet writing in New York Times.
I have been observing,watching of his actions towards world,endless problems.
He has an attractive pull to any subjects.
He is a man of present,real speeches to world leaders and world viewers.
I have strongly supported his new health care plans by writings to Reuters and to many leading world news channels and in world well known social websites.
I think that, He will create,work, and mingle with world leaders,groups,sects on different paths for great,good results for better man kind.
Best wishes to him and to Americans.
All the Best to others.
Hmm
Let’s all get on the bandwagon and repeat phrases that we’ve heard in the news recently; if we do this verbatim then it makes for easier reading. Without any research, intelligence, or commitment to being fully informed.
I do not presume to know the inner machinations of the presidency, the Nobel Committee, or how well or not disarmament and peace negotiations are going especially based on popular news reporting.
Perhaps some in depth reading is required before posting an opinion on Obama’s Prize.
Another example of an international organisation like the UN that has shown te be an organisation of no substance.
An egregious example of hope over experience
you mean you get to wage/prolong/escalate a war (Afghanistan) AND you get the NPP?
Whoa!
I thought it was a joke when i saw the headlines…there were organizations and people who have dedicated their lives to one cause or another to bring peace on earth and who walks away with the prize?? Obama???!!!??? Id understand if he would have been awarded the prize once he’s done with his second term and has dedicated his life to improving the life of the black kids or something like that….its all a political propoganda of the US Govt. since Obama’s charms were waning in the eyes of the world they had to do something to notch it up…..and what better than to authenticate his actions by naming him the latest messiah of peace….honestly….i agree with some one before me who commented on the US Govt becoming Imperialistic…the neo brit empire…..and seriously u think the Nobel isnt rigged honestly!!!!
I think its more of political leverage which he needed at this time.He hasnt been able to do much about the crisis.Also the failed bid for Chicago’s Hosting the Olympics.He needs a facelift.This is just back door manoeuvring.
He does not deserve this. He has done absolutely nothing. This is sooo pathetic. He needs to decline it. So many other derserving people.
You’ve got to be kidding me
I agree with all of your highly esteemed opinions, but I think your myopic view of his speaking ability blinds you from seeing what it is that his mere speeches have done.
Obama’s rhetoric has inspired an entire generation, the world’s peoples are dreaming of “world peace” again. The planet is abuzz with the possibility, the idea of international co-operation. The world has remembered how to believe.
You and I cannot meassure today, the effect that his gift has on tomorrow.
Today Mein Kampf is still feared as pure evil expressed in black and white. The man’s body of work will inspire has and will continue to inspire HOPE for those who consume it.
Congratulations. Mr Obama.
While it is rather obvious that the Nobel Peace prize has not been awarded for “outcome” this year…then Is the award given to “Support” Obama’s peace efforts? More like a means to the end – than a recognition for the end!
This is pathetic.
These guys should resign for discrediting this institution, and Obama should decline this (now dubious) honor.
It’s a slap in the face of all those who’ve actually achieved something, done something, or risked something for peace and human rights.
This is a completely inexplicable award, indeed quite an unbelievable one. For me, it has irreparably damaged the Nobel “brand”.
Did Barack pay full price for this year’s peace prize or did he get it at a discount rate? It doesn’t matter anyway, it’s worth was diminished significantly when Al Gore won it for his farce. It will be a lonely, but nice decoration hanging in his “Hall of Accomplishments” at his presidential library after 2012. I wonder if we can get one for Muammar al-Gaddafi for next year?
Obama does not deserve the award and the fact that he received it just turned the Nobel Peace Prize into the Cracker Jack Prize there is now no difference. I wonder if this was payment for the 40k troops going into war…?!?
Completely lost all respect for that award. It is nothing more than politics.
The joke just keeps getting better.
First a nobody gets elected president.
Then after nine months of demonstrating how
true this is, they give him the peace prize?
Unbelievable!!
Completely lost my respect for the award.
The Nobel prizes have become an institutionalized farce. Mr Obama deserves to receive a lot of praise for his work, but a Nobel Peace Prize is a little excessive – especially since his presidency is not even a year old… Looking back at the list of high profile individuals who’ve received this prize, one can tell that it’s not exactly a life achievement reward that is worth anything… Thank you Mr. Nobel for your ‘explosive’ contribution to humanity, and thanks to your torch-bearers for such a worthless display of hypocrisy.
The Peace Prize has often been political in character, in the best
sense of the word in effecting policy.
Getting the prize will give Obama a better position in dealing
with Iran. The reduction in nuclear armement is important
and it will help that. His getting out of Afghanistan
will not be easy and the prize will not help that.
Generally the award should have a positive effect but not
long lasting. It will displease the anti-Obama crowd
so much gnashing of teeth will be heard. Badmouthing
will go on, and little constructive analysis will
be coming from America’s political right. They are
permanently grumpy
NOBEL is no more nobel. Its for Sale!!!. The distributers of the prize and taker all are from the same party(politics).
Peace prize is given to a person after ACHIEVING IT, NOT for just efforts!!!
We people might be dreaming of world peace bcoz of Obama’s. But that does not mean peace is prevailing. PRIZE is awarded after achieving… What a JOKE!!!
There is no meaning to NOBEL PRIZE.
YES!!!
At the outset let me say that I voted for Obama. But this is the most absurd judgment since the jury voted OJ Simpson not guilty.
What’s next? Sainthood for Madonna?
When I first heard the news I thought they said “Osama” won the award — I was only slightly less surprised to learn it was “Obama.
Clearly this is the “thank you for not being George W. Bush” award. That is a low threshold.
In a single stroke, the Nobel committee has rendered its award a joke.
Maybe there will be something positive to come out of this. Perhaps the embarrassment of winning an award for doing nothing will inspire Obama to actually grow a backbone and force Israel to build bargaining tables rather than obstacles to peace in the Middle East.