Congratulations President Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize -- Now Please Earn it!

Dear President Obama,

How outstanding that you've been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements -- you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you've eliminated that useless term "The War on Terror," you've put an end to torture -- these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years. In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction.

But...

The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of what is quickly becoming your War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush's Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That's what a true man of peace would do.

There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do -- capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. But you cannot do that with tanks and troops. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse.

The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve -- just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free -- they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else's Humvee.

You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don't, you'll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo.

Yours,
Michael Moore
[e-mail]
MichaelMoore.com

P.S. Your opposition has spent the morning attacking you for bringing such good will to this country. Why do they hate America so much? I get the feeling that if you found the cure for cancer this afternoon they'd be denouncing you for destroying free enterprise because cancer centers would have to close. There are those who say you've done nothing yet to deserve this award. As far as I'm concerned, the very fact that you've offered to walk into the minefield of hate and try to undo the irreparable damage the last president did is not only appreciated by me and millions of others, it is also an act of true bravery. That's why you got the prize. The whole world is depending on the U.S. -- and you -- to literally save this planet. Let's not let them down.


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Comments

[Winstonstien]

I scratched my head in confusion when I heard he won the prize when we have mutiple covert and overt wars of commerce raging on the planet. This would be like giving the Hiseman trophy to a 3rd string bench sitter who showed good effort but never played in a real game or maybe giving it to the leader of North Korea for not blowing us up even though he said he wanted to do so. When he stops waging war, refoems health care with a public option, decrease USA unemployment to zero, restores the wealth reasonably equaly to all american people, ends economic slavery, achieves financial reform and aliminates the washington lobby then he would be eligible for the prize. Did they just simply run out of candidates?

[brady61995]

i could not agree more!

[vascopyjama]

The person who's comments I would really like to hear in regards to President Obama receiving the award, is George W. Bush. Then for once I would like to hear Dick Cheney open his mouth.

[ChicagoBob]

Michael, it takes you over a year to make a movie, something over which you have complete control.

Obama has been in office for 9 months and has faced opposition, criticism, and demands from every splinter faction and MSM outlet in the country. "Hurry take care of me first or I will throw a tantrum and not support you."

Now you are giving instruction. Better you should let the man do his job, or have you been called in to advise?

Better yet, organize some political action to put pressure on the obstructionists instead of touting your for profit documentary 24/7.

[alexa07]

"Better yet, organize some political action to put pressure on the obstructionists instead of touting your for profit documentary 24/7."

Oh no. Michael's appearances have been wonderful. He is saying what the usual pundits, media personalities, comics are too afraid to say in regard to some of the most important issues of the day.(My favorite interview was not Hannity's, though that was hilarious, but CNBC's where he faced down an entire panel of capitalist apologia dimwits.)
I hope President Obama, whom I admire tremendously, also can face down the vested interests that are keeping our foreign policy in thrall. Michael, there's your topic for another film.

[FloresdelaHoz]

We can't afford this war nor can we win this war.

[JPDworkin]

I think many of us are forgetting the debt we owe to the people of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union broke it's back against this small incredibly poor country, in no small part to the weapons and aid we delivered secretly. Then, when the job was done, we went home to enjoy the boom of the post-cold-war era leaving the Afghans behind in their ruined country that we had sown with the seeds of Al-Queda and the Taliban. Those seeds bore terrible fruit indeed and yet we still close our eyes to the moral necessity of helping those whose homes and country and culture were sacrificed for our benefit. I make no claim to know what the correct strategies and tactics are to make this happen, but I know it's the right thing to do.

[PanBaccha]

Congratulations, Barack Obama! An American president that has evidently lit a fire of hope in the world. The irony, however, are the two wars that must be redressed expediently.

[StillIRise]

Why am I still seeing THIS letter, but not the more recent letter that Michael Moore wrote?

[annis]

Just was about to say the same thing!

[redd35]

HE IS NOT AN IMPERIALIST THAT'S WHY HE WON

[BlackSwan13]

Write in bigger letters and soon even you will believe the lie.

[qoftu]

Michael backed off his comments in a letter he sent out this morning entitled "Get Off Obama's Back".
Whew, for a while I was having thoughts of resigning from his fan club. It shows you how much the repub nant press has brain washed even the best of us. Suddenly the Noble Committee has lost its mind? Anyone bothering to read their initial comment would have to agree with why they awarded it to our President. When was the last time we had people all over the globe dancing with joy when we elected a president? Have you seen the latest polls about the stark reversal for the better in the world view of the United States? Of course he hasn't accomplished his goals. He's been in office 8 months and counting -it takes nine to produce a baby. And if that mother had the sort of obstacles he's faced, that baby might never come to term. Don't listen to those howling voices of bitter, old men whose grip on power has slipped. Listen to the praise that comes from abroad which finds hope in what Obama is doing. After years of seeing America portrayed in the worst light thanks to Bush/Cheney policies, we should consider this a blessing and a prize for all of us.

[kiddub]

I didn't realize that the Nobel Prize was a popularity contest. I thought it went to men and women who had struggled to make a difference, faced difficulty and succeeded in their quest. Obama got elected. This award does nothing other than throw even more pressure and expectations on him and his agenda. What happens if one of the pillars of his policy profile fails? What if Iran builds a bomb, or North Korea tests another missile or device? Everyone can point and laugh at him and the committee and mock Obama and his agenda. Great.

Obama himself is guilty of setting his own bar high, by attempting to tackle every major issue facing america at once. I don't want to see him fail, but Washington is divided already. Iff you are truly trying to be concilliatory and bring the other side to the table for debate and discussion, why would you make every effort to push every political button possible, thereby dividing, angering and distancing both your opponents and once supporters from you and your agenda.

[NotMcCain]

"...to men and women who have struggled to make a difference, faced difficulty, and succeeded in their quest."

If that doesn't describe Obama's commitment to the principles of collaborative problem solving (combined with a good bit of gracious "turn the other cheek" when viciously attacked by opponents), I don't know what does.

He could deserve it for a lifetime of accomplishments, in my opinion, not the least of which was the campaign that organized and inspired millions, and demonstrated a majority of Americans could overcome our racist history if given an exceptional African American leader with an exceptional message.

But of course the Nobel committee wasn't awarding him for that, but for his valiant efforts at international diplomacy and to reduce the threat of war (including cancelling the weaponization of space via the so-called "missile defense shield").

If anyone deserves this honor,, Obama does.

Not that I expect the MSM to recognize it.

[qoftu]

Obama guilty of setting high goals? Pushing political buttons? He was elected BECAUSE he sought to achieve those goals and the majority of Americans voted for him precisely TO have him press those buttons. His opponents have been angry since he started his quest for the presidency. What's new? Just how humble does he have to be towards these people who got us into every major issue facing America?

As for his 'once supporters' - If you've lost HOPE, it's because you have let it go. As far as I can tell, Obama never promised to end the wars, bring home the troops, close GITMO, abolish Don't Ask, Don't Tell, save US jobs, fix the economy AND the environment and make Rushlimberger eat his words - all before Labor Day. I know there are a lot of people out there used to instant gratification. Well, this is the real world. There's no fast forward past the ads and the ugly bits. You can't Tivo it for later. President Obama has to take it a day at a time, in real time. And so should we.

[changeself]

michael,

you're talking to the population

that have been in on all the evil of capitalism, and

still keeping their fingers crossed for their turn to loot

while cussing the banks and corporates.

alas, stupidity has no cure.

but i admire you for never failing to cut to the chase and never succumbing to cynicism.

humanity owes you big.

[RTIII]

Mike wrote a better article / letter than I expected.

And yes, I'm a fan of MM.
.

[elghergo]

For a comprehensive comment on this eccentric Nobel Prize, read Robert Fisk's article in The Independent, titled "Obama, man of peace? No, just a Nobel prize of a mistake" at http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-obama-man-of-peace-no-just-a-nobel-prize-of-a-mistake-1800928.html

Here is a sample: "For the first time in history, the Norwegian Nobel committee awarded its peace prize to a man who has achieved nothing – in the faint hope that he will do something good in the future. That's how bad things are. That's how explosive the Middle East has become."

[qoftu]

A man who has achieved nothing? He's President of the freaking United States of America! He is the leader of the free world! Who the HECK is Robert Fisk and what has HE achieved?

[Bill Gescheider]

He should donate the prize money to ACORN. That'd give Limbaugh, Beck, and Hannity a heart attack.

[SiberianRat]

Sadly, it would like just give them more ammo for more lies and hatespeech. I'd say Amnesty International or some human rights/peace oriented group should get it. Or maybe split it among several. B'Tselem, Peace Now, MSF, and others would likely put the money to good use.

[ignorantwillyharper]

I pray I'm wrong, but if I were a betting man, my money would be on Obama sending in more troops. Now that would be a shame.

[alexa07]

Just as the Obama people are falling into same old routines regarding Palestine. Giving cover to Israel's nukes; criticizing the Palestinians for their "incitement" as we see yet more demolitions, confiscations, settler rampages, water, electrical & other astonishing disparities in the way one group benefits only while everyone else suffers. But please don't get excited about it?