Barack Hussein Obama gets Nobel Peace Prize

[Elysium]

He is not a "black" president, he is simply the president. Ethnicity has fuck all to do with his position.

Well said.

People who judge his presidency based on the colour of his skin are small minded I think.

Not in America, race and the colour of your skin seems to mean a lot over there. I'm sorry but your answer tells me you don't know much about America at all.

[Skyryder]

This is the 'official' reason. I think the crux of the decision appears to be the importance of Obama's vision of a world without nuclear weapons. Make of this what you will.

Skyryder


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

[wbks]

Am I the only one wondering what superweapon the yanks have developed? I can't really see a superpower abandoning nukes unless they have found something better...

[FlangMasterJ]

Am I the only one wondering what superweapon the yanks have developed? I can't really see a superpower abandoning nukes unless they have found something better...

Chuck Norris wasn't developed he was born!

[Indiana_Jones]

YOU CAN'T HUG YOUR CHILDREN WITH NUCLEAR ARMS!

-Indy

[Hans]

Really? That was unexpected (haven't looked to see if this is a pisstake or not). Shutting down Guantanamo Bay was a brilliant start, though.

Sorry bud, he did this when? He has so far spoken about doing it, but hasn't actually done it.

[SPORK]

Huh, shit - my mistake. Egg = on face.

[oldrider]

Am I the only one wondering what superweapon the yanks have developed? I can't really see a superpower abandoning nukes unless they have found something better...

Good point but I reckon they are just bolstering up their favourite old weapon, "Bullshit"!

They have always used fear to maintain control, fear of this, fear of that!

The presumption that they could spot and kill a fly anywhere on earth at any time has been kicked into touch by Osama Bin laden and his cronies!

The presumption that they could locate and quietly despatch any adversary anywhere in the world at any time has also gone down the toilet!

Once again, thanks to Osama the destroyer and his cronies!

That the United States fighting men are the best in the world, has been diluted by events in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan etc in recent years.

The rest of the world has moved on with this one, as the saying goes, only in America!

In defence of the individual soldiers of America I do believe that it is the people in charge, (including politicians) rather than their servicemen that are at fault there!

The only real thing to fear about fear, is fear it's self and the way people as individuals or groups allow themselves to be manipulated by it!

If the USA wants clean up anything that's detrimental to the American way of life and national security, they should, (IMHO) drop a "big" bomb on Hollywood!

American soldiers saved our bacon in WW2 and I will never forget them for that but this is almost 2010 and a lot of things have changed.

I think American people are great, it's just their leaders who have lost the plot but then again, who elect their leaders!

BTW, I am inclined to be pro America, rather than anti!

[Drew]

Not in America, race and the colour of your skin seems to mean a lot over there. I'm sorry but your answer tells me you don't know much about America at all.

Nice patronising tone there.

You think you know more clearly, and probably so. I'll now send all my posts to you since you are right about everything from now on, for you to go over them.

Thanks.

[Ms Piggy]

Not wanting to bag the guy out of turn (I know, not normal practise for KB, but...) what has he actually achieved so far, besides making about 200 or so speeches?
He is certainly a great orator, but I'm sitting here struggling to think of even one thing he's actually done - is he the quintessential hollow man or have I just got the wrong end of the stick?

Yes, I was actually wondering the same thing. It appears he is an awesome man and has succeeded in becoming the 1st black President but I don't think that on it's own should make for him winning a Nobel Peace Prize.

Ah ha! I just read an good article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news...ectid=10602432 that poses the same question and gives some good answers including:

Not being George Bush was a good start.

and

In his will, the founder Alfred Nobel said that the prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most, or the best, work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses". It is hard to think of anyone of whom that is truer last year than Barack Obama.

[Mekk]

"OSLO – The announcement drew gasps of surprise and cries of too much, too soon. Yet President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday because the judges found his promise of disarmament and diplomacy too good to ignore."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/...eu_nobel_peace

I thought the Nobel Prize was given to people after they had accomplished the feat.

Promises are fantastic but talk's talk and walk's walk.

[MisterD]

I thought the Nobel Prize was given to people after they had accomplished the feat.

Sadly Mekk, this is the way that the Nobel prizes with actual credibility work (the prize for Physics was awarded for work done 30+ years ago).

The peace prize has always been a tool to make political statements...

[Elysium]

Nice patronising tone there.

You think you know more clearly, and probably so. I'll now send all my posts to you since you are right about everything from now on, for you to go over them.

Thanks.

No need. You can help yourself by finding out facts first before posting incorrect info as you did before.

Nice patronising tone there.

I aint patronising, just pointing out an obvious error on your part as what you posted was so blatantly wrong so you shouldn't be offended if someone points this out, well a few people did anyhow.

[Mekk]

Sadly Mekk, this is the way that the Nobel prizes with actual credibility work (the prize for Physics was awarded for work done 30+ years ago).

It's a shame that such a prestigious award has been allowed to lose credibility.

[MisterD]

It's a shame that such a prestigious award has been allowed to lose credibility.

The failure to award it to Ghandi did for its cred a long, long time ago...awarding it to Gore and BHO just about complete the transition to "laughing stock"