Barack Obama awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

Here are two comments: one from times-on-line and from an Israeli source.

Jerusalem, Israel; News that President Obama received the Nobel Peace elicited a gasp from the anchor of afternoon newsreel of Israel Broadcasting Authority Radio on Friday - "Well, now that is a surprise", she said with some spontaneity.

Within an hour of the announcement, Reuven Rivlin, veteran speaker of the Israel Knesset Parliament, warned  that "Someone who gets a peace prize should not force-feed Israel with his version of peace",  going on to say that he hoped that the peace prize would not inspire the president to "dictate a peace accord to Israel"

Israel has reason to be concerned.

The committee that awards the Nobel Peace prize is comprised of officials from the Norwegian political elite, as opposed to other Nobel prizes for excellence in science, education, health or other scholarly concerns.

The announcement of this prize occurs at a time that Norway remains almost the only European nation to recognize, aid and abet the Hamas regime in Gaza, at  a time when Norway sanctions boycotts of some Israeli companies, and at at time when Norway openly funds movements in Israel that advocate the expulsion of Jewish communities from Judea, Samaria, the Golan and Jerusalem.

Things are so bad between Norway and Israel that the Israeli Foreign Ministry is now considering filing  a formal request to expel Norwegian peace keeping observers from Hebron.

In other words, for many Israelis. the Norwegian endorsement of a peace initiatives of President Obama reads like a kiss of death for Israel, conveying a message, which is that the US should lead the world community to establish a Palestinian state, even if that state would launch aerial attacks on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, much as the Palestinian entity in Gaza now fires freely on Sderot and the Western Negev.

Will the Nobel Peace Prize give President Obama the leverage that he needs to lower the boom on Israel?

Time will tell.

David Bedein can be reached at bedein@thebulletin.us

This is what the Times-On-Line had to say. Pretty Harsh comments and it appears to reflect the sentiment globally.

"The award of this year’s Nobel peace prize to President Obama will be met with widespread incredulity, consternation in many capitals and probably deep embarrassment by the President himself.

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Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America’s first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.

Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.

The pretext for the prize was Mr Obama’s decision to “strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples”. Many people will point out that, while the President has indeed promised to “reset” relations with Russia and offer a fresh start to relations with the Muslim world, there is little so far to show for his fine words"

I suppose there will be those who will think Obama engineered this one?

presented on my birthday.

and who actually WROTE the speech?

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Those qualified to nominate candidates include members of national governments, international judiciary, academics and previous prize winners

Five Norwegians are chosen by Norway's parliament to sit on the Nobel Committee

The committee compiles a shortlist of between five and 20 candidates

The shortlist is considered by the Nobel Institute's permanent advisers, mainly Norwegian academics

The Nobel Committee chooses the winner

Details of the nominations and selection process are kept secret for 50 years

First off, I am absolutely grateful someone like REAGAN NEVER EVER won a peace prize. That would have been apocalypse and half the world would have commited suicide that day.

Secondly, I doubt someone who's thinking of sending 40,000 people to their death in Afghanistan and worsen the already-destroyed lives of millions of Afghans, along with staying in once-upon-a-time-it-was-a-country Iraq, and threatening Iran, (and don't forget his weak position on Palestine and Honduras), is a peace-maker, laurel-worthy. As long as Obama supports OR ignores any war, he does not deserve the prize.

Hell, give the prize to DENIS MUKWEGE, Arundhati Roy, Paul Rusesabagina, Louise Arbour, Shih Ming-teh, NEW RICE FOR AFRICA, or posthumously Natalya Estemirova, Dorothy Mae Stang, someone who DESERVES IT!!!

H e is my one and only hero....This I will announce once again or declare.... BAM IS THE WORLD.For all his great efforts to unite people around the world regardless of faith and religion,encourages everyone to participate in discussion or have  compassion..especially with our health care reform,for every Americans rich or poor...HE DESERVED TO WIN THIS MOST HIGHEST AWARD.It's the President way of governing,with civility and CLASS.There are a lot of reasons that Pres.Bam was awarded the Nobel Peace.........he gives the world HOPES and PEACE....stretching  his hands to the poor,wealthy,powerful to have a one common goal......Peace and Unity. Hail to the Chief.

Some people just hate this president with all the fiber of their being, and will never accept anything positive from him. (I hope I'm proven wrong.)

Here is a completely different take on the award: (It is my opinion.) Maybe, just maybe this Nobel Peace Prize is America's peace prize. Perhaps the committee was sending a message to all Americans that finally after 8 years of disastrous leadership on the world stage, American citizens had the good sense to elect a leader that would try and restore our prestige and stature in the international community. 

It is beyond my why some people are so intent, after 8 months or less,are hoping that our President is a failure. It is not about Obama, it is about  all of us. Differences of opinion is one thing. Hoping for the failure, or much worse, of the president is another matter.

Also, would anyone happen to know what Obama's plans for the reduction of USA's nuclear capability? This is for my knowledge.

We live economically in a climate of devaluation, the Nobel Peace price has joined the crowd. Sad....

....and to think the man that helped develop dynamite gets a Peace Prize named after him..

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Article/025402-2007-10-18-nobel-hypocrisy.htm

Here is an article from 2007, but it is relevant today.  Please take a minute to read because some believe the Nobel has been devalued, but I differ.  This particular award has been the most controversial, and at times given to the undeserving, while those who seem to be the most deserving like Ghandi were passed over. 

My opinion is that Obama was recognized for representing a turning point globally embodying the spirit of cohensive diplomacy, rather than alienation by advancing ideas that further detach nations from one another.  Although he was nominated in February before his presidency could serve as a basis for nomination, his campaign speeches of global unification and his subsequent election shifted the U.S. and the world into a new era of indivisibility.

I was just floored when I heard the news about Obama and I must disagree with this decision by the Nobel Committee. I read from people that Obama deserves this award for his efforts. That is the same as a child getting an A+ on his exam for merely trying, doesn't matter if he/she answered correctly. There were so many other well deserving people for this award. One that comes to mind is Greg Mortenson. For those who do not know him, read "Three Cups of Tea" and then ask yourselves who deserves this award more. I just don't understand how you can award a peace prize to someone who is all bark and no bite. What policies has he accomplished since taking presidency that he said he would do when running for office? Is Gitmo closed? No. Are our troops out of Iraq? No. Are our troops out of Afghanistan? No. Has he reduced the budget and spending? Haha, No. It is funny that this "Messiah" as some of his followers so called him during the election, who going to "Change" this nation completely, has done very little except talk and turn over more of this nation to China with his Trillions of dollars in bailouts where billions goes missing. I am sorry, but if the Nobel Prize went to someone for talking about changing things for the best, shouldn't the award go to Miss America, Miss Universe, or maybe a wishing fountain, because they all have the same chance to change the world as President Obama preaches. Well maybe he can if ACORN is allowed to run the results poll.

In order to evaluate the creation of the award, setting aside the creator's motivations, in terms of its value is the world better or worse for its creation?

Despite its frailties and political controversies, I would have to say "yes."

I would rather have the majority of those who qualify be awarded the prize in Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Medicine, Literature, and Peace rather than eliminate it because some might be less qualified than others based on public opinion or political orientation.   

Funny how one can accomplish so little in as little time as possible in as little as 2 weeks, as you should remember the deadline for Nobel Submissions is in Feb 01,2009, so what did Obama accomplish in these 2 short weeks before the Feb 1 Nobel Deadline. So ask yourself, is this just one of these feel good hits of the year or a elephant and donkey show worthy of a Reality TV series. As far as I am concerned, the Nobel Peace Prize is now just another Slurp, Gobble and Deepthroat institution of the Politically Correct with no substance, pride or accomplishemnent by others who really really worked hard whatsoever!