2009 Nobel Peace Prize

[Vampyr]

http://nobelpeaceprize.org/en_GB/home/announce-2009/



Announcement

The Norwegian Nobel Committee

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only 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. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Oslo, October 9, 2009

[BreakABone]

Who knew they gave the award to Socialists.

[Professor S]

They already gave it to Al Gore, so that bridge was crossed a long time ago. :D

But on a serious note, what exactly did they give it to him for? Good intentions? He's been talking to a lot of people, but quite honestly I don't see any accomplishments when it comes to world peace. Perhaps he'll deserve this one day day, but now?

[Bond]

Isn't the nobel prize meant to acknowledge a lifetime / body of work, not intentions? I will have to investigate this further.

[The Germanator]

They already gave it to Al Gore, so that bridge was crossed a long time ago. :D

But on a serious note, what exactly did they give it to him for? Good intentions? He's been talking to a lot of people, but quite honestly I don't see any accomplishments when it comes to world peace. Perhaps he'll deserve this one day day, but now?

I'm generally supportive of Obama and I totally agree. I mean, what has he really done to deserve this other than talk about how he wants to do it? I'd like to think we will get to a point where he deserved this award and I have confidence in that, but he hasn't shown anything at this point in time.

[Vampyr]

I think we should keep in mind being supportive of Obama isn't the same thing as supporting this award - he didn't technically ask for it.

But in terms of actual achievements they did name one: they believe he has changed the face of international diplomacy.

As much as American's like or dislike Obama, I believe the rest of the world, for the most part, really loves him.

[Vampyr]

Another interesting thing to consider: The deadline for nominations for the 2009 Nobel Peace prize was February 1st. Obama had only been in office 9 days.

So by that logic, he actually received the award based primarily on things he had done before becoming president.

Isn't the nobel prize meant to acknowledge a lifetime / body of work, not intentions? I will have to investigate this further.

Depends on the Nobel prize you're talking about. That's actually one of the more controversial aspects of the peace prize...it is often given out for immediate accomplishments rather than decades after said accomplishments, like the other Nobel prizes. Personally I think that's a good thing, since it exemplifies the type of people we need leading the world towards peace right now, rather than 30 years after the fact.

Although it's going to be a bit awkward if Obama starts dropping bombs on Afghanistan.

[KillerGremlin]

This is just the world's way of saying, "Thanks for getting rid of Bush."

[TheGame]

This is just the world's way of saying, "Thanks for getting rid of Bush."

Haha, that's what I think.. pretty much. And thanks for ending the streak of dirty, misleading, and hateful politics winning out in this age.

[TheGame]

But in terms of actual achievements they did name one: they believe he has changed the face of international diplomacy.

This is actually a very good point too. America has changed from the 'don't talk with our enemies until they agree to what we want' policy we've had over the last decade or so.

[Bube]

Not that I have anything against Obama, but I think the award would've been better off with someone else.

I read that another nomination was some president or somebody who talked to some guerrillas who were holding 15 people hostage, and persuaded them to release all 15.

That's more of a direct impact than Obama's, imo.

I don't want to get into a political argument, so I'll state once again that I'm not saying anything against Obama.

[Vampyr]

Obama's response:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGM45m

[Bond]

I'm generally supportive of Obama and I totally agree. I mean, what has he really done to deserve this other than talk about how he wants to do it? I'd like to think we will get to a point where he deserved this award and I have confidence in that, but he hasn't shown anything at this point in time.
I completely agree with this, and Bube's post.

[The Germanator]

That said, it's impossible to blame Obama in any way specifically for this. It's not like he made the decision. You can question the committee for giving it to him, but you can't really be too upset for him humbly accepting. It's just kind of a strange decision.

[Typhoid]

But on a serious note, what exactly did they give it to him for? Good intentions? He's been talking to a lot of people, but quite honestly I don't see any accomplishments when it comes to world peace. Perhaps he'll deserve this one day day, but now?



Agreed.

This sort of cheapens the effect of a nobel prize. It's a big accomplishment. You have to spend the majority of your life dedicated to something that benefits others in some immense way. He's just a black president who followed Bush. Doesn't deserve it, in my opinion.

[Seth]

and then they invaded Iran...
;)
Giving it to Gore already sodomized Nobel's prestige. Whatever, maybe this will add some tipping point conscience tweak while he's about to fall asleep tonight, thinking about the pressure that the prize would naturally induce, given merely on intentions.

[Professor S]

This is just the world's way of saying, "Thanks for getting rid of Bush."

Well then he'd still not be worthy of the award. Term limits got rid of Bush. Obama had nothing to do with it.

[Vampyr]

Well then he'd still not be worthy of the award. Term limits got rid of Bush. Obama had nothing to do with it.

Then maybe it's more like, "thanks for not being Bush". :p

[Professor S]

Then maybe it's more like, "thanks for not being Bush". :p

That can agree with. We could have elected a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster and it would have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize.

[Typhoid]

That can agree with. We could have elected a Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster and it would have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize.

That doesn't really give any validity to it, however.

[KillerGremlin]

Well then he'd still not be worthy of the award. Term limits got rid of Bush. Obama had nothing to do with it.

I agree. I was just joking of course. And then SNL stole my joke this week in their opening skit.

I need to start trademarking my shit so I can sell it to the unfunny a-holes at SNL.

[TheGame]

Then maybe it's more like, "thanks for not being Bush". :p

No it's more like "Thanks for being against the idea of Bush"

Bush was a world wide joke, and easilly one of the most hated people in the world by both terrorists, his own people, and other countries that are considered to be allies. Bush ruined the reputation of the free world in general.

Obama wasn't even running directly against Mccain, he was running against Bush's ideas last election. And that was enough to get him nominated for the prize since the world hated Bush so much. And once he took his job, he appologized to other countries for all of Bush's dumb mistakes.

That's my theory on why he won the Nobel peace prize.

(And that's why he won the election too, his own people were against the idea of Bush. Mccain, even though he was a different person then Bush... wasn't against the idea of Bush. Which is why he got destroyed last election. If he'd have joined the world in our hatred of Bush, he'd have stood a chance on other issues.)

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[KillerGremlin]

I'm sorry but glancing through the list of Noble Peace Prize laureates and seeing names like Jane Addams, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King J....and then, Obama?

I mean jeez, the guy hasn't been President for a year yet. He has great ideas but he still hasn't resolved the conflict in the Middle East, resolved our economic problems, resolved the health care issue, fulfilled his promises to the LGBT community....

Hey, you know what, congrats to him. I mean whatever, I don't care. History always fucks the important people over. It's pretty typical of history to shaft important individuals. I mean look at Thomas Edison, the guy was a huge asshole. No one gives props to Tesla. So it will give historians some fodder for 100 years from now.

[Professor S]

No it's more like "Thanks for being against the idea of Bush"

Bush was a world wide joke, and easilly one of the most hated people in the world by both terrorists, his own people, and other countries that are considered to be allies. Bush ruined the reputation of the free world in general.

Obama wasn't even running directly against Mccain, he was running against Bush's ideas last election. And that was enough to get him nominated for the prize since the world hated Bush so much. And once he took his job, he appologized to other countries for all of Bush's dumb mistakes.

That's my theory on why he won the Nobel peace prize.

(And that's why he won the election too, his own people were against the idea of Bush. Mccain, even though he was a different person then Bush... wasn't against the idea of Bush. Which is why he got destroyed last election. If he'd have joined the world in our hatred of Bush, he'd have stood a chance on other issues.)

I can agree with much of that, I would simply include the market crash in Sept. `08 as bein a huge factor in the election as well. The election had gotten reasonably close to that point, buts soon as the economy shit the bed McCain didn't have a prayer because he had an "R" in front of his name.

Also, as mentioned before he was basically nominated for winning the election because he had only been president for 8 days at the time, so I doubt his (embarassing, IMO) apology tour had much influence.

But in the end, it's an award given for speeches and general ideas and little accomplishment. In fact, we don't even know if his tactics will inspire world peace or encourage bad actors to seize for opportunities. This all could end up blowing up in the Western world's face is the bad actors aren't as inspired as the Eurpeans seem to be.

Oh, and for the record I hold no ill will toward Pres. Obama for winning. How could you? He woke up and won the Nobel Peace Prize. It's not like he won it in a foot race or something.

[TheGame]

But in the end, it's an award given for speeches and general ideas and little accomplishment.

I agree with you for the most part, though I still would say the "accomplishment" that he won it for is being against the policy of Bush and winning over the people while making Bush look bad.

It'd be like someone winning the election in Iran pointing out all their countries faults. And then turning around and reassuring the world that their goal is for peace in the middle east and that they won't attack isreal etc. And saying they're willing to talk with the free nations and work together to help that area.

Of course putting into action all of those ideas would not be easy. But the very fact that the right ideas would have won out, likely would have made this imaginary person a world wide hero.. And countries would support that to keep them moving in that direction.

Obama just won a war of ideas. Will they be implemented? Time will tell, but its obvious now that the world supports Obama being against Bush.

[Professor S]

I agree with you for the most part, though I still would say the "accomplishment" that he won it for is being against the policy of Bush and winning over the people while making Bush look bad.

Well then you and my definition of "accomplishment" are very different, I guess. :ohreilly:

Also, I don't see how Obama wins a war of ideas when he basically tells people what they want to hear when in other nations. To "win" assumes there was a competition of ideas. The competition of ideas is in Iran, North Korea, Russia and China and to date he hasn't accomplished anything in those venues.

[TheGame]

Just so you know, I don't personally think he deserved the prize myself (not that I could name anyone else who does deserve it in this age). I'm just pointing out why I think he won it.

We don't really have a personal arguement on what is or isn't an accomplishment that earns you such a prize.. I'm just pointing out why the people on that comitee justified making Obama a winner.

And I think its more then telling people what they want to hear. Its going against your own leadership to promote world peace. And not only that, doing it in a peaceful manner, and winning.. Unfortunately that's not something that's done every day.

-EDIT-

By the way, you should read this:

http://www.ktracy.com/2009/nobel-peace-prize-intent-over-accomplishments/

Its not the first time someone won the prize based off of intent to do well opposed to actual accomplishments.

[Professor S]

Just so you know, I don't personally think he deserved the prize myself (not that I could name anyone else who does deserve it in this age). I'm just pointing out why I think he won it.

We don't really have a personal arguement on what is or isn't an accomplishment that earns you such a prize.. I'm just pointing out why the people on that comitee justified making Obama a winner.

And I think its more then telling people what they want to hear. Its going against your own leadership to promote world peace. And not only that, doing it in a peaceful manner, and winning.. Unfortunately that's not something that's done every day.

1) Isn't he the leadership?

2) Who did he go against when he made the world tour?

[TheGame]

1) Isn't he the leadership?

2) Who did he go against when he made the world tour?

He went against Bush ideas, and won the election... which is what got him nominated less then 2 weeks after he became president. He appologized for Bush and America on his world tour, and promoted peace.. which is probably why he won the award.

Can't say I'm sure what you thought I was saying.. but I hope that clears it up lol