Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize for 2009

Nope.

I've added to the article the full press release explaining their rationale.

I hope they will read it before things go south!

I am a big supporter of the President and I am happy for him, for the country that one of our own won this prize. However, just as I think that it is unfair to expect the President to turn around the country in 9 months, I think it is premature to give him a nobel PEACE price 9 months into running TWO WARS.

Unless I completely do not understand what the nobel peace prize is about. I thought it was about BODY OF WORK, not agenda. Obama has said all the right things. I am glad he did. He has just started bringing the Palestinians and Israelis to the table. What else has he done on the peace front? What if he escalates Afghanistan?

This is way too premature.

BUT, I AM BIG SUPPORTER OF HIM. If this brings more confidence and will signal to the "Break Obama at all cost" crowd that this guy has a lot of political capital, so be it. Do they still think that the world has rejected Obama? A great slap in the face at the GOP who, less than a week ago, was celebrating the "world turning down Obama. "

Profoundly said. Thank you.

Apparently one of the factors was his long time efforts to deal with nuclear proliferation, something that he has continued during his presidency.

I've added the full announcement into the article.

I agree, Alan. Very well said. Thank you.

Ditto, Alan. All the things I was thinking...
Wilka

My thoughts are on the same lines as yours.

My understanding is that the Nobel Peace Prize is for the purpose of promoting World Peace. President Obama, long before he was President, most especially during his candidacy, and now continuing, has been most diligently promoting policies to improve peaceful relations throughout the world. Anyone who has a problem with the Nobel Committee's decision in this regard obviously is lacking their own actual life.

Ditto, nope.

I've added to the article the full press release explaining their rationale.

Thanks, David. I'll have to try later. I can't seem to even open up the website. Me thinks it will be very busy this morning. :)

But I can't help but think there are many others who have actually worked hard to deserve this prize only to see someone received it merely for intentions.

Cathi, it is deeper than intentions and POTU 44 has been working on World Peace long before he was elected.

Has he? But what has he achieved? Working on and actually achieving peace are two different animals. I can't help but see this as an award for the hope he will achieve peace. That's a pretty tall order. I would much rather these awards go to those who have achieved. My opinion is that this is way too premature and places into question what is it the Nobel committee hopes to gain from this.

The Nobel Prize committee has made their selection and given their reasons for making the selection. We can agree or disagree, but asking each other to defend or refute the selection is more about us than it is about whether Obama deserves it. The committee picked him, which means by definition that he did deserve it, since they are the ones who make that decision.

We should take it as a source of pride for our country...and as Obama noted in his comments, take it as a call for action.

Have I asked others to defend or refute the selection? I was told Obama was working on World Peace long before he was elected and I'm interested in what he has done. Of course we can agree or disagree, last I checked it is still a free country. As you are entitled to your opinion on what we should do, I am also entitled to my opinion. Thank you for your comment.

My apologies, David. I didn't realize this was a copy and paste comment, not one specifically addressing my own comment.

OK Here, drivel alert! Now, tell me dearhearts so concerned that your President has not achieved true world peace, who has, ever?

Boy, talk about an over reaction. Calm down, libramoon, nobody plans on taking away your Oscar. lol

Wanted to add, we don't give grades for "efforts" but results.

Exactly.

There were over 205 people considered as of February 2009 by the committee and if you care to read the whys it will answer many of your questions. It is so silly to contradict and dismiss what one does not fully understand.

but it's ever so simple Johnice~ and Obama detractors are not interested in pure information~they abhor anything positive and will dismantle it as much as possible to validate their lingering ire that Barack Obama was elected President~

So true Alan

Show me the results. Who has actually brought about peace throughout this world in the last year? I will happily promote their award of the Nobel Peace Prize.

I'm pleased

I am elated! :)

I could agree if he had actually accomplished something this year. Many folks have actually accomplished something and have not been recognized for their work.

I've added to the article the full press release explaining their rationale.

Thomas, David K. didn't award the prize, and isn justifying it.
He is announcing the prize and the reasons given.

Sorry if it looks like I was shooting the messenger. It was not my intention.

Not taken as such, Thomas. Welcome.

Yes, in fact may people have done things to escalate peace, including Obama but only one can be recognized with the prize.

For all those who complain about nothing being so far in his term I would say, "He inherited the biggest mess in US history. If you can do better run for president!!!!" Put your money where your mouth is.

Have you walked a mile in his shoes? And in fact he won the award not for his national agenda but his worldwide agenda. His environmental policies which the Bush Ad. axed, his stance on nuclear weapons and his efforts to make nice with other countries of the world. The US wasn't exactly in goodstanding with the rest of the world when Bush was in office. Facts are facts.

I've added to the article the full press release explaining their rationale.

OK. A less flip comment. I agree with what Alan said about a body of work. To award this at this time in my opinion tarnishes the significance of the Nobel Peace Prize, and I suspect that it will remain tarnished for a long time, regardless of what you think about our President and regardless of how his foreign policy plays out in the future. That said, if I were to see him today I would congratulate him.

This is how they respond to the idea that Obama has not been in office for very long:

Jagland said, "We have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do."

That supports what Alan said. "Body of work." If one year is enough for body of work, so be it. They make the rules for their prize. Your tax dollars don't pay for the prize, ok.

The nobel committtee is not beholden to anyone in the United States or the world.

This is the "THANK GOD GEORGE BUSH IS NOT PRESIDENT ANYMORE."

I echo Jared's thoughts 100%~

Jared, so much wisdom so early in the day amidst so much negativity.

Kudos!

I read that headline on Yahoo this morning and thought, "What for? He hasn't done anything but make a lot of people very angry since he became president."

Did you have someone else in mind?

Winona - Do I detect a faint taste of sour grapes?

he has done quite a lot for peace and for the betterment of humanity THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME~ and THAT is why he is being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize~

Obama detractors are not interested in pure information~they abhor anything positive

Purr, not agreeing with the award doesn't make someone an Obama detractor. I'm sincerely curious what he has done for peace and for the betterment of humanity throughout his lifetime. A little enlightenment here?

Cathi~everything he has done is available all over the web and all one has to do is put it in the search engine~if they're really interested~
The point is this~he was nominated for the NOBEL PrIZE specifically for having the capacity and the intent to look beyond the borders of his own nation and see humanity as a global entity of which every part deserves respect, attention, and responsibility. He is a man who has the innate sense to understand that in this day an age nations can no longer have a secular mentality to overcome the challenges human beings have set before themselves by their inability to coexist. He is in every way attempting to remedy that. And THAT is charachter and humanity more than deserving of a Nobel peace prize~

LOL! There's all kinds of things he's done all over the web. I put his name in a search engine and I can come up with 50% that he walks on water and 50% that he's the devil's only son. That doesn't help! And yes, I'm interested in what you have pointed out as the betterment of humanity throughout his lifetime and for peace. I was curious what you have based your statement on. Simple question, no agenda, just interested.

Josette, I really have no strong feelings one way or another. I'm about as political as a loaf of bread. I just know that everyone I know in the "real world" hates the guy, even if they liked him a year ago.

They gave it to Yasser Arafat, too. They have become a joke.

Sour grapes!

The people complaining seem to forget that Nobel invented dynamite.

Thanks for bringing us up-to-date.

From the Post article:

Jagland specifically cited Obama's speech about Islam in Cairo last spring, as well as his efforts to address nuclear proliferation and climate change, and to use established international bodies such as the United Nations to pursue his goals. The prize "is a clear signal to the world that we want to advocate the same as he has done to promote international diplomacy," Jagland said.

Except it is at this point all talk.

I keep hoping to see some results.

Discussion is at the core of diplomacy! You would prefer that he hit someone? POTUS 44 is about negotiations and those which only promise results. He does not need a gun to convince someone to do the right thing.

After all he is talking to and with intelligent people who are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the people of their Countries and the World. Negotiations requires a higher level of intellect and skill than to be aggressive.

So selfish are those who can only see and understand life which occurs at the end of their nose.

Also from the Post article:

Jagland said, "We have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do."

EXACTLY!

I woke up this morning and heard that Obama wins the Peace Prize! Is that a joke? He is in two wars and has no game plan of leaving, he saber rattles, he hasn't made a stance on the gay issue? what did he do to get this award?

I've added to the article the full press release explaining their rationale.

Have you already forgotten who got the US into the two wars out of which he is now has to try to extricate us?

selective memory~

Every little step for peace .. is worth it..

Why I believe it is too soon. The expectation level is now set so high, is it humanly possible?

The terrorist now have another reason to target us. They will take this as an absolute insult to their views of us. (Not that they need anything else, but this will cause them to step up their plans.)

PS... I am with you on every little step is a positive.

A Parameswaran N quite well said and succinct!

I agree that Obama has changed the playing field.

While acknowledging some benefit to mankind described in the article...

Expansion of illegal war in countries which never attacked us --- not all that peaceful. My auto mechanic is more deserving of the prize.

Did you submit your auto mechanic's name to the committee? The recipients must be nominated by someone.

David - Since I heard about this I've been drawing up my nomination list. So far I have my auto mechanic, my neighbor Dave, my cat, and a waitress at the local diner. My dentist was on my list, but upon reflection he causes too much pain and suffering.

Thanks for taking this so seriously. I'm not sure your cat is eligible.

I think that this proves the uselessness of this award...

I agree. What a joke for him to get this award and he did nothing. We have to remember Yasser Arafat got the Prize also.

Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela also won this award.

Scott ... It is always easy to throw darts a what you know not of the process.

You only choose to see the who and what and refuse to see the how and why which equals who.

Sad sad way to live.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureates:

2009 - Barack Obama
2008 - Martti Ahtisaari
2007 - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Al Gore
2006 - Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank
2005 - International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei
2004 - Wangari Maathai
2003 - Shirin Ebadi
2002 - Jimmy Carter
2001 - United Nations, Kofi Annan
2000 - Kim Dae-jung
1999 - Médecins Sans Frontières
1998 - John Hume, David Trimble
1997 - International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jody Williams
1996 - Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, José Ramos-Horta
1995 - Joseph Rotblat, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
1994 - Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin
1993 - Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk
1992 - Rigoberta Menchú Tum
1991 - Aung San Suu Kyi
1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev
1989 - The 14th Dalai Lama
1988 - United Nations Peacekeeping Forces
1987 - Oscar Arias Sánchez
1986 - Elie Wiesel
1985 - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
1984 - Desmond Tutu
1983 - Lech Walesa
1982 - Alva Myrdal, Alfonso García Robles
1981 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
1980 - Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
1979 - Mother Teresa
1978 - Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin
1977 - Amnesty International
1976 - Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan
1975 - Andrei Sakharov
1974 - Seán MacBride, Eisaku Sato
1973 - Henry Kissinger, Le Duc Tho
1972 - The prize money for 1972 was allocated to the Main Fund
1971 - Willy Brandt
1970 - Norman Borlaug
1969 - International Labour Organization
1968 - René Cassin
1967 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1966 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1965 - United Nations Children's Fund
1964 - Martin Luther King Jr.
1963 - International Committee of the Red Cross, League of Red Cross Societies
1962 - Linus Pauling
1961 - Dag Hammarskjöld
1960 - Albert Lutuli
1959 - Philip Noel-Baker
1958 - Georges Pire
1957 - Lester Bowles Pearson
1956 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1955 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1954 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
1953 - George C. Marshall
1952 - Albert Schweitzer
1951 - Léon Jouhaux
1950 - Ralph Bunche
1949 - Lord Boyd Orr
1948 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1947 - Friends Service Council, American Friends Service Committee
1946 - Emily Greene Balch, John R. Mott
1945 - Cordell Hull
1944 - International Committee of the Red Cross
1943 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1942 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1941 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1940 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1939 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1938 - Nansen International Office for Refugees
1937 - Robert Cecil
1936 - Carlos Saavedra Lamas
1935 - Carl von Ossietzky
1934 - Arthur Henderson
1933 - Sir Norman Angell
1932 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1931 - Jane Addams, Nicholas Murray Butler
1930 - Nathan Söderblom
1929 - Frank B. Kellogg
1928 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1927 - Ferdinand Buisson, Ludwig Quidde
1926 - Aristide Briand, Gustav Stresemann
1925 - Sir Austen Chamberlain, Charles G. Dawes
1924 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1923 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1922 - Fridtjof Nansen
1921 - Hjalmar Branting, Christian Lange
1920 - Léon Bourgeois
1919 - Woodrow Wilson
1918 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1917 - International Committee of the Red Cross
1916 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1915 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1914 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1913 - Henri La Fontaine
1912 - Elihu Root
1911 - Tobias Asser, Alfred Fried
1910 - Permanent International Peace Bureau
1909 - Auguste Beernaert, Paul Henri d'Estournelles de Constant
1908 - Klas Pontus Arnoldson, Fredrik Bajer
1907 - Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, Louis Renault
1906 - Theodore Roosevelt
1905 - Bertha von Suttner
1904 - Institute of International Law
1903 - Randal Cremer
1902 - Élie Ducommun, Albert Gobat
1901 - Henry Dunant, Frédéric Passy

Without this list, I wonder how many Americans could name more than one or two recipients.

Even with this list, I wonder how many Americans even know who 95% of them are (including all three sitting presidents).

Teddy Roosevelt is on the list- I always said Republicans are not all bad.

Wrong tense

Great! At last, after eight long, barren, disheartening years, a president of whom we can be proud.

President Obama HAS infused a new sense of optimism in people around the world as well as in our country and a new, more positive climate in international politics. I have felt it everywhere I go around the world from the instant the result of the elections became known last year. (I was in the bush in Kenya on that day - I was treated to a celebratory dance by Maasai warrior).

I feel this Nobel Peace Prize is awarded not only to our President but to all of us who voted him into office.

Coincidentally, I am headed to Johannesburg tonight (on my way to Botswana). It will be interesting to see how the news have been received.

Josette, you are spot on and have a great trip. Thanks for your rational and eloquent thoughts--too rare these days, so many can only respond to the view at the end of their nose.

Josette, good luck on your trip. Will you be keeping us informed while you are there? That would be interesting. :)

I add my applause~ =)

Cathi - Thanks. Once I get beyond Johannesburg (on Sunday), I will be in the bush and mostly out of touch for the next three weeks.

Thank you Genki

I'm envious of your travels. We need to catch up.

This is great, I heard the news at 6am and I have not stopped laughing since.
Nominations for this prize? ended 2 weeks after Obama got elected. The Nobel Peace Prize is now what I always knew it was something you win in a box of Crackerjacks.
The only thing that surprised me was that the entire Nobel body were not present at the announcement and that the announcement did not include?:
The -prestigious,"LOL" Nobel Peace Prize goes to
Barack Hussein Obama
UMM-UMM-UMM!

Sour grapes!

Johnice, my reaction exactly !

Micky -The prize was awarded to the MAN, not the office

micky;

It's easy to see you get most of your material from that drug-addled entertainer.

I'm glad to see you have someone you can relate to so well.

Yippee! Congratulations, Mr. President!

Exactly!

This is a proud day for the United States. Congratulations, Mr. President!

Champagne for all!

Yesssssss! Clink-clink! Here's to love, hope and peace for all!

Surprise, surprise!!

Here's to Peace in the World!

Our President deserves it~ and instead of detracting we should be proud of him and applaud his continued efforts to dismantle the sh**pile left to him by the prior war mongering administration~

Here's to Peace in the World!

I'll raise my glass of elderberry juice to that! HERE! HERE!

Bravo Genki - and cheers!

Yeah, Baby! Maybe it's because I read more of the foreign press than most Americans that I appreciate this as an expression of hope that America will reclaim its moral position in the world. At least America was a representation that a human society would aspire to a moral and ethical standard given the underlying prosperity to be able afford to do so. We squandered one of the most enormous outpouring of global empathy in the wake of the World Trade Center bombing. We repaid that by shipping innocent people in violation of the ancient principle of habeas corpus, through Heathrow, Schiphol, and de Gaul to Syria to be tortured.

I don't think we realize how much the rest of the world wants to see America reclaim its moral standing.

I can vouch for the fact that much of the world considers Obama to be a transformative figure. He most certainly has changed the dynamic of dialogue.

How many know this article posted in February by AP. How much did he do during his first month in office?

Obama 'in running for Nobel peace prize'

AP

Friday, 27 February 2009



The US president Barack Obama and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy are believed to be among the record 205 nominations received for the 2009 Nobel peace prize.

The awards committee, based on Oslo, Norway, refuses to say who is nominated. It just says that 172 individuals and 33 organisations were on the final count released today.

The previous record was 199 in 2005.

Thousand of people have nomination rights for the coveted prize and sometimes announce their selections.

This year those names include Mr Obama, Mr Sarkozy, American musician Pete Seeger, Macedonian humanitarian Zivko Popovski-Cvetin, Austrian children's charity SOS-Kinderdorf International, Vietnamese religious leader Thich Quang Do, and American Greg Mortenson for his Asian school-building charity.

The Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded to the office, it was awarded to the MAN! His work, and his positive influence did not start on the day he got sworn in.

Exactly! See how narrow some folks think and navigate our society, it is amazing that they can find the nose on their face--I so often surmise.

When I read about it early this morning I all I could do was chuckle at how this was going to drive the "guano crazies" on Gather out of their minds! I LOVE IT!

This is spectacular news! :)

All the Nobel people have done is finally shown their obvious political bias.

Sour grapes!

Hitler had a "cult of personality" also. You true-believers never learn,do you?-Norman

Hitler? Really? That's where you want to go?

Godwin RULES!

All the Nobel people have done is finally shown their obvious political bias.

And that would be what?

Chuck, you are right. Godwin Law or Godwin's Rule.

I agree. Their political bias definitely leans toward those who try to promote peace. No hiding that.

Well put, Jan.

Well deserved Mr Obama !

You are a Big HOPE for America and the World.

We like and love you, but please don't turn Afghanistan into another Vietnam.

It was always stupid to wage these prolonged wars.

America is not going to be loved in the future for the thousands or perhaps millions of deaths and many millions of refugees. In Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I undestand that you, Mr Obama are not totally free to end the Wars, but do your best ...

I always prophesized FAILURE, even before the Invasion of Iraq !! :

Prophesizing.com

Vicente Duque

Here's to Peace in the World!

I do not speak for all guano crazies- but let me speak for myself. I love the fact that Obama has been given the Nobel Peace Prize. I have not stopped laughing since 6am.
UMM-UMM-UMM!

The news does make you feel quite good--no surprise!

You do not speak for all the guano crazies, just yourself micky?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Congratulations to Mr. Obama. Congratulations to the Nobel committee. The world has needed a new direction, and the committee recognizes that Obama represents that change. They lent the weight of the Nobel Peace Prize to that effort.

I can vouch for the fact that much of the world considers Obama to be a transformative figure. He most certainly has changed the dynamic of dialogue.

I was surprised, but I do understand the why. The Nobel committee is correct.
The tone of international talks has changed, dramatically.

Amazed and happy to see this, but . . . looking at the partial list of other nominees, I have to say that Pete Seeger wouldn't have been a bad choice either. The Nobel can only go to a living recipient, I believe, so let's all root for Pete in 2010 before his window of opportunity closes.

I have always admired Pete Seeger.

I'll go with Pete. Seriously - he's done more (at least been as influential) for peace and humanitarianism than most anyone I can think of.

America sucks-America sucks. I will win the next Nobel Peace Prize- for sure!!

Not with that attitude!

Micky d - Statements like that are why Obama was elected to be President of the US, and perhaps why he won the Peace Prize.

If you think it was a poor pick, you'll find many who agree. Most of them are more adult about it though.

The BBC reports responses from world leaders. For some reason, President Ahmadinejad, the leaders of Islamic Jihad and the Taliban are not pleased. I wonder who they nominated.

:)

Text of Nobel Peace Prize citation for Obama

LINK: REUTERS
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5981RA20091009?virtualBrandChannel=11621

Okay, Johnice, you are now my official "go to" source on all things Nobel. :)

:)

It is easy to see that the frightwingers and the Taliban are aligned.

Both of them hate America.

Ali, are you responding to something David and I said or, have you been caught by the hinkie things happening on Gather?

Because I cannot find a connection in your comment. Explain!

okay, maybe they are rewarding good intentions more than material accomplishments. But I am okay with that. International cooperation is very very challenging to arrange in many areas. But bottom line, if we don't see more of it, the human race may not make it. We have some serious challenges.

But bottom line, if we don't see more of it, the human race may not make it. We have some serious challenges.

Absolutely.