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President Barack Obama Awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

Melody

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    At 6am this morning, the president was awakened to the news that he'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

    Now I don't have any links, but you all can post news links and discuss that here. :D

    Let's keep the discussion mature and flame free please, mods do reserve the right to close this thread if it gets too far off track

    With all those formalities aside, what do you think of this?

    I'm quite glad, myself. I think this ought to calm some doubts about Obama in general.
     
    He deserves it. He is a living example anything is possible for any race and hopefully he will stop all this silly madness with the middle east.
     
    Even though I'm an Obama supporter, I personally don't think he should be given the prize until he actually achieved one of his goals to help foreign relations, but I'm still glad for him.
     
    I see this as a slap in the face of former President Bush. By giving him the peace prize in his first year, they're basically saying that they disagreed with Bush's policies. I think they should have waited until he is out before giving him the prize.
     
    Pathetic.

    How is this man deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize only nine months into office, when most of his policies haven't even had time to take effect? It's great that he's trying to spread peace and reduce the use of nuclear weapons and stuff, but I was under the impression that you actually had to accomplish something before winning a peace prize...

    It's clear most of the world loves Obama for whatever reason, but I think he was given this award for the wrong reasons. There's way too much political bias for me to think that he was awarded purely on his peace efforts, especially since there's a huge difference in participating in peace talks and actually creating peace.
     
    Well, he has done more for world peace in his 9 months than Bush in 8 years.
    I think they should have waited for a bigger event, even if the UN meeting for a reduction of nuclear weapons was impressive. But what will he get if he ever gets to do something useful with Iran, Israel or Afghanistan?

    Regardless of that, I think he's a great symbol of hope (at least in Europe), so I congratulate him.
     
    Well, he has done more for world peace in his 9 months than Bush in 8 years.

    *nods* How very true.

    I'm glad that he won it, personally. Not many people earn a Nobel Peace Prize nowadays (due to the fact that there aren't many peace harbingers, unfortunately >.>).

    Just my opinion, though :3
     
    Well, he has done more for world peace in his 9 months than Bush in 8 years.
    He really hasn't. Whether or not you think Bush was good, Obama just hasn't done much of anything important and I find it utterly ridiculous that anyone could be awarded a prize like this based on promises and not actions.
     
    When my teacher told me that right now. I was SERIOUSLY LAUGHING OUT LOUD until my voice is hoarce in front of the class. I'm not sure what to make of it, Al Gore shared it with the IPCC so I have no qualms with that. But I understand the concerns that he should reject it and give it to another person. BUT STILL! IT'S THE EFFIN NOBEL PEACE PRIZE! XDDDDDD

    Still he did do more in mending US reputation and alliances than Bush did. @3@

    LOL Aura, great as ever. :D


    [PokeCommunity.com] President Barack Obama Awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

    US President Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

    The Nobel Committee said he won it for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".
    The committee highlighted Mr Obama's efforts to support international bodies and promote nuclear disarmament.
    Mr Obama's spokesman said the president was "humbled" to have won the prize. He said he woke Mr Obama up with the news early on Friday.
    There were a record 205 nominations for this year's peace prize. Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Chinese dissident Hu Jia had been among the favourites.
    There was widespread surprise at the committee's decision. While world leaders were largely supportive of the award, thousands of people have contacted the BBC with more sceptical views.
    Of thousands of comments received by the BBC, an estimated 75% expressed surprise at the award. Some said awarding the prize to Mr Obama was plain wrong, others that the decision had come too soon, before he had made any concrete foreign policy achievement.
    The Nobel laureate - chosen by a five-member committee - wins a gold medal, a diploma and 10m Swedish kronor ($1.4m).
    "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," the Norwegian committee said in a statement.
    "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."
    Asked why the prize had been awarded to Mr Obama less than a year after he took office, Nobel Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve".
    "It is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done," he said.
    He specifically mentioned Mr Obama's work to strengthen international institutions and work towards a world free of nuclear arms.

    'New climate'

    Reaction to the committee's decision from around the world was swift and varied.
    Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said he could not think of anyone more deserving of the award.
    "In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," Mr ElBaradei said.
    At the other end of the spectrum, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the Reuters news agency the award was ridiculous.
    "The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the 'Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians'," he said.
    Since taking office in January, President Obama has pursued an ambitious international agenda including a push for peace in the Middle East and negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
    But critics say he has failed to make breakthroughs. Domestically, Mr Obama has been working to tackle an economic crisis and win support for healthcare reform.
    Some said they saw the prize as a way of encouraging the US leader early in his presidency.
    "It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope," said Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, a former winner.
    French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the award confirmed "America's return to the hearts of the people of the world".
    The statement from the Nobel Committee said Mr Obama had "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," it said.
    The committee added that the US was now playing a more constructive role in meeting "the great climatic challenges" facing the world, and that democracy and human rights would be strengthened.
    Mr Obama is the first US president to win the prize since former US President Jimmy Carter in 2002. Former vice-president Al Gore shared the prize in 2007.
    Among earlier US leaders, Theodore Roosevelt won the prize in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won it in 1919.
    The Nobel prize was invented by the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite Alfred Nobel, and was first awarded in 1901.
    He designated the parliament in Norway, which at the time was united with Sweden, to elect the peace prize committee. Swedish academies are responsible for other prizes.
    The prize-giving ceremony for the peace award is due to take place on 10 December in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.
     
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    Not every president has the luxury or taking office during times of peace. I think Bush had to make an difficult decision as to how Afghanistan/Iraq should be dealt with. Personally, I don't think he did a very good job, but that argument has nothing to do with whether Obama deserves a peace prize or not. If two people have shared the same job, and one arguably did not do his job well, that doesn't mean the second automatically did and is deserving of a reward =(


    LOL Aura, great as ever. :D

    You as well, my friend ^__^
     
    (/).-)
    facepalm

    I find it hilarious how his very presence just improved the the world's perception of America, even if he hasn't really achieved anything in terms of foreign policy yet. I guess that's one way to do the job, rely on starpower and avoid doing anything that may backfire on you. XD

    Say what you want about Bush, but he actually did something about foreign affairs, even if it was based on false intelligence and he mismanaged it beyond all belief. >_>
     
    I'm a huge supporter of Barack Obama, but I seriously think it was very stupid to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. I love his promises as much as the next guy, but they're just that-- promises. He hasn't done any tangible change yet. Maybe he would have deserved this in a few years, but not now.
     
    Please note I'm not commenting on his policies or views, that's irrelevant. But giving someone a peace award because they support peace and equality? Really?

    Well take that, Gandhi. I suppose if I show potential by doing well in school I'll get an achievement award, too.
     
    Maybe we could award it to David Cameron next year because he promises a better Britain.
     
    *sigh* I'm starting to doubt the REST of the world now too. Like the other people have been saying, he doesn't deserve it right now. All he's done, as far as I can see, is made promises and put us further in debt (talk is great, but it means little in geopolitical affairs). Maybe, when he delivers on some of his words (bringing the soldiers home, for ex.), he might deserve it. But not now.
     
    I have confidence in this man, but this seems a little silly. Shouldn't the award be given to someone after their goals are achieved, not just for claims of intent? The people of the US are so impatient, and we're setting ourselves up for disappointment by being so presumptuous.
     
    I like Obama, but....I just can't understand why he was awarded this prize? Sure he's nice and cool, but...

    There have been people working almost their entire lives towards peace. He gives a couple of speeches in six months without actually doing...anything and he gets the award? O_o

    My confusion isn't directed at him or his administration, but... the Nobel prize people. It's like he got an award just for..being.
     
    I heard this and thought my friend was joking when she told me about it.

    I just... I'm very disappointed with it. Obama's great but he hasn't done anything yet. He's given some speeches, fostered hope, and, yes, set the US down the right path toward more peaceful relations but... that's just because he's doing his job. I think the Prize should go to someone who goes well out of their way--above and beyond--to promote peace. While he's certainly on the right track to meet the requirements, I think it should be awarded to someone who's taking action or has had the time and chance to accomplish more.
     
    Guys, it's all very well saying he deserved it or he didn't (I don't know where I stand on this), but you gotta look at what this really is. It's international propaganda. Obama is a symbol of a new system. A good chunk of the world hated Bush, and by extension, the United States. Obama is now perceived as a peacebringer, a new leaf for America. Whether or not he actually is is debatable, but that's how he's being portrayed. And it's helped by the fact that this is what the world wants. They want a figurehead they can look up to. They want a President with big ideas for peace. They want peace. So giving Obama the Nobel Prize is a reassurance to the world. They're telling us 'You want this? He's trying to get it. Love him.' They want the world to see (or think they see) that change is coming around, so they give Obama - a well-known, popular political figure - the Peace Prize to show people that it's possible.

    That's my view, anyway.
     
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