2009 Nobel Peace Prize

Vampyr · 10-09-2009, 01:38 PM

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

Quote:

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 · 10-09-2009, 02:08 PM

Who knew they gave the award to Socialists.

Professor S · 10-09-2009, 02:34 PM

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

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 · 10-09-2009, 03:35 PM

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

The Germanator · 10-09-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor S

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

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 · 10-09-2009, 03:39 PM

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 · 10-09-2009, 03:42 PM

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bond

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 · 10-09-2009, 04:05 PM

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

TheGame · 10-09-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerGremlin

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 · 10-09-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vampyr

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 · 10-09-2009, 04:33 PM

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 · 10-09-2009, 04:37 PM

Obama's response:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/commu...america/gGM45m

Bond · 10-09-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Germanator

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 · 10-09-2009, 05:46 PM

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 · 10-09-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor S

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.