Saturday 10 October 2009

Riddle Me This

Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize 2009.

"President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee countered that it was trying "to promote what he stands for and the positive processes that have started now.""


Not that it's not amazing, but it is justified? Is it too early in his career? Is it bang out of order? Consider Obama is the second sitting President to receive such a prize since Woodrow Wilson, who, it might be pointed out, brought WW1 to an end, wrote the 14 Points for peace and helped shape the Treaty of Versailles. Though Obama is a beacon of hope - and the importance of this globally should not be underestimated - and has begun many admirable and forward-thinking policies and initiatives (see Climate Change and International Relations) - he has achieved very little of note yet. Yet. But is the Nobel supposed to be in recognition of his potential or his past?

Should he accept it?

x
JAG

3 comments:

Arielle said...

It's a load of tosh, is what it is. The Nobel Committee is trying to influence his policies by setting a 'standard' for him to live up to.

Sharanya said...

I do think that it is premature. Potential, the way the committee sees it. It's almost as if he has become president all over again.

Drop a tear in my wineglass said...

Here's a sort fo funny article about it that still manages to hit a spot:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100904122_pf.html

I think it is too early. I understand the Nobel Committee's justifications, but somehow, a lot of people still look at America the same way (at least here they do) because they don't have anything to exemplify this new "era" of America under Obama. The Nobe Committee motivates the choice by saying that it shows the world what kind of politics that they want to promote but right now, Obama is more famous for being Obama than for his politics. When that changes, he can be given the award. If he should accept or not - whatever he can live with is the thing to do I suppose. Does he think the award is justified - then accept. But the whole world will be watching, and this will say a lot about his view of himself, I think.