Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

[The Mad Monk]

The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 awarded to President Obama Print E-mail
Image The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2009 to US President Barak Obama.

The Nobel Peace Prize is an international prize which is awarded annually by the Norwegian Nobel Committee according to guidelines laid down in Alfred Nobel's will. The Peace Prize is one of five prizes that have been awarded annually since 1901 under the auspices of the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm for outstanding contributions in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. Starting in 1969, a Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has also been awarded.

Whereas the other prizes are awarded by specialist committees based in Sweden, the Peace Prize is awarded by a committee appointed by the Norwegian Storting. According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize is to go to whoever "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". The prize includes a medal, a personal diploma, and a large sum of prize money (currently 10 million Swedish crowns).

The Nobel Peace Prize has been called "the world's most prestigious prize". The Prize is awarded at a ceremony in the Oslo City Hall on December 10, the date on which Alfred Nobel died.

(NRK/Nobel Committee)

http://www.norwaypost.no/content/view/22602/1/

Um...why?

[Zkribbler]

Um...why?

According to the Committee, for his extraordinary efforts to curtail nuclear weapons, for changing the atmosphere for diplomatic discussions worldwide, for taking the position that a nation who wishes to lead must do so based upon virtue, for his efforts to counteract climate change...

I'm paraphrasing. There were other reasons, which I cannot immediately recall.

[What do you do, live on your computer?! I wanted to be the first to report this. The news conference is still going on.]

[EPW]

[Lorizael]

Uh, so far, all Obama's managed to do is run a pretty damn good campaign. wtf?

[germanos]

This is ridiculous. Perhaps AFTER he has managed to end the bloodshed in Iraq and Afghanistan in a couple of years he might be a good candidate.

How many bombs will this peace-laureate send over in the next four years?

The Nobel peace prize is a farce.

[dannubis]

Well, while I do think that others undoubtably are more deserving you can't ignore the fact that the world is very relieved that the strongest nation on earth finally sends out a message of hope again instead of the usual fear mongering.

[MikeH]

They gave it to Carter as a slap in the face to Bush. I guess this is another one. Totally devalues the prize.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/carter-awarded-nobel-peace-prize-while-chairman-attacks-bush-policies-607982.html

And whilst I do think Obama's bridge building will bear dividends in the long term, it's too early to get it now.

[Jon Miller]

Carter is a fair call, Obama might be in 8 years. Now?

JM

[Zevico]

You know who else could be a fair call for the Nobel Peace Prize in 8 years? Joe Wurzelbacher. Damn right.

[MikeH]

He's not as bad a winner as Arafat.

[MikeH]

He's not as bad a winner as Arafat.

[Zevico]

You know who else could be a fair call for the Nobel Peace Prize in 8 years? Joe Wurzelbacher. Damn right.
Also, I'm waiting for the Onion write up.

[trev]

Very rarely has the person or organization the prize has been awarded to achieved much in the way of peace, almost always it goes to those who speak peace or hope or resist a dictator. So the usual relatively meaningless ritual of giving the Nobel peace prize goes on.

[Kuciwalker]

At least with the Kissinger-type winners they had something to do with war, or peace, or whatever. Obama hasn't done anything, he's been in office less than a year. WTF indeed.

[Nikolai]

Obama hasn't done anything yet. Not a thing. Hope that is fading hardly should be enough to get the peace prize.