War and Peace

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President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the non-Western world and stress diplomacy. Americans should be proud that we have a president who is restoring respect for our country around the globe. This well-deserved prize is an inspiration for the president and for rest of us to do some really hard thinking about how we create a more peaceful and just world - including our role in Afghanistan.

We are now in our ninth year in Afghanistan - twice as long as were engaged in World War II. We have lost more than 800 troops. We have spent more than $200 billion. What do we hope to accomplish in Afghanistan? What is our exit strategy? What is the best way of protecting the American people from al-Qaeda and from terrorist threats? What is the most effective way of opposing the Taliban, an extremely reactionary group? How do we relate to the government in Afghanistan which is widely believed to be corrupt? How does the situation in Afghanistan relate to Pakistan - a nation with nuclear weapons? These are a few of the questions that have to be dealt with before we continue pouring more troops and money into Afghanistan. The time is now for a real national discussion about Afghanistan - including real debate in Congress. It is long overdue.

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Comments

[Thelonius]

Hopefully, the enhanced credibility and stature he has gained by winning the Nobel Peace Prize will encourage President Obama to stand up to Israel's PM Netanyahu et al. and forthrightly insist that Israel immediately cease all construction, including expansion, of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, including the latter's illegally extended boundaries. Once this has been accomplished, President Obama must do what is necessary to force Israel to comply with international law and withdraw from all Palestinian and other Arab lands it invaded in June 1967 and has occupied since. This will result in implementation of the 2002 Arab League's Beirut Peace Initiative which will lead to full recognition of Israel as a sovereign state, exchange of ambassadors, trade etc. The Israel/Pal­estinian-A­rab conflict is the most urgent geopolitical crisis facing the U.S. and the world..

[Luvial]

Bernie, I have always been a big fan, but, hey, come on now.

Marcy Kaptur for President in 2012!

[Dr. Sam]

REFLECTIONS ON OBAMA’S NOBEL AWARD
Contrary to the shrill condemnation of Obama’s detractors, I argue that the President robustly deserves the Alfred Nobel honor. As usual, extremist Republicans and conservatives will say no, just as they have been saying to everything Obama does. Transformational figures throughout history have usually suffered ridicule from those who failed to understand or appreciate their special destiny. That includes King David, Jesus, Mohammed, Gandhi, and Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Obama is no Jesus; but during the Presidential campaign, he was ridiculed as a pretender poised to “walk on water.” He is no Moses; but his detractors mocked him as one. Those who invited him for university honors challenged his “body of work” and “lack of accomplishment” at the same time. On the Nobel, consider the implications of his achievements: Obama’s popularity abroad has become America’s popularity; his desire to rid the world of nuclear weapons (just like Raegan) makes him a man of peace; his focus on international diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and mediation signals a fundamental departure from the unilateralism of the Bush years; his emphasis on mutual respect and interests rejects the simple concept of “American exceptionalism” as the critical basis for international diplomacy; his goals of meaningful engagement with Russia, North Korea, Iran, the Palestinians and fighting global poverty and environmental degradation also rank high. Indeed, Obama is a MAN OF PEACE—and the hour! Americans responded with broad vision and big hearts to this man of destiny.

[3blueeggs]

I totally respect you Senator Sanders. You are one of the sanest voices in the Senate. I am looking forward to seeing our nation speak, internationally, from a position of respect rather than a position of "power." I believe, like you, that it starts with the recognition from other countries that we have the "potential" to do that. President Obama has demonstrated that by speaking to the Muslim world, an action that during the past eight years would have been unthinkable to the last administration. The Noble Prize is a tool to promote positive change for peace, not just to recognize the accomplishment of peace. I, myself, find that aspect of the prize to be an even more significant goal. The road to peace is rocky and at times thankless. To encourage the process is vital. Thank you, Senator Sanders for your voice and your cogent thought.

[Waltfl]

I fully agree. The Nobel Prize Committee has awarded Obama with the laurel wreath for battles to come, knowing that nobody in the world has more impact on making things right, than the American President has (or messing things up, as we have seen during the past 8 years). It is not a reward for achievements, but a sign of hope, and an indicator that the world has not given up on us.

Off topic: I also want to take this opportunity to thank you, Sen. Sanders, for what you do for teh American people in Washington every day. If there were only more like you.

[Carl Caroli]

Our beef is with Al Qaida. Granted the taliban are oppressive and backward and we should make efforts to aid the education and human rights struggle in Afghanistan, but our focus should be the terrorists. They will move around from third world country to third world country and we need a fluid force to follow them, not tens of thousands boots occupying sovereign countries and making enemies.

[Doug Tico]

Well Bernie. You and I know what the " mission" really is. To keep feeding the military industrial complex as much money as you can suck out of the sheep.
Washingtons "job" is to take as much money and as many rights away as possible just up to a point short of revolution.Then give them a sheep biscuit, like a $300 check, so they can run to Walmart and buy some nice Chinese garbage. Then do something to scare them so they want the Shepherd to protect them from Evil. Capital E.

I wonder how Carslyle and Halliburton are doing in this terrible economic " crisis". Boeing ? GE ? Colt industries ? DuPont gunpowder division ? Remington? Propper Industries ?
Send them some more money guys. Maybe I'll rob a liquor store so I can afford a share of their stock.
Since Washingtons REAL "plan" is perpetual war it should be a very wise investment...in Euros that is.
How many years have we been in Korea ?
BTW. I like the new camo being issued. Where's the next stop ? Venezuela perhaps.

Remember when they switched to coyote/desert ? Beginning in. Ya ready ? 1974.
Next stop? Anywhere they disagree.

[BustMyChops]

If Bernie Sanders tells me to vote for Obama in 2012 I may have to. There's no elected public official that I respect more than Bernie. I'm unhappy with many of Obama's sellout pro-corporate positions so far. If he can keep Bernie on his side real liberals with have to listen. I just hope Senator Sanders is backing the right horse. Once again....Bernie Sanders is the man.

[abbienormal]

Yes, he is the man. He is also right on this assessment in my opinion.

[nancytheragingliberal]

BMC, Yes, I enjoy listening to Bernie when he appears on the Thom Hartman Radio Show. I'm with you, Bernie is the man.

[Meteor]

I agree with Senator Bernie Sanders.

Below is a portion of a letter President Obama sent out yesterday.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama "

[SiberianRat]

Luv ya Bernie!

[PhilipB]

Yes, I do too!

[freddiefreeloader]

The way we do it is by supporting the United Nations and Nato, Why is the United States the worlds police?

[kimleehan]

Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.

You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. Winston Churchill

[johnsopinion]

You cannot lie in the search for truth,
You cannot kill in the search for peace.
JP

[TexasGetsIt]

Well deserved? That's a stretch to say the least. That statement provides more evidence of just how spineless members of congress are. Everyone knows that the president hasn't done a thing to deserve that prize (and certainly hadn't having only been in office for 2 weeks when he was nominated). That prize just became a joke. Kudos to the senator for having the backbone to call a spade a spade and use the opportunity to demonstrate that he can be objective and actually tell the truth. It's perplexing that congress's approval rating is around 21% when our senators and representatives display such honesty and integrity.

[Romeover]

Texas:

George W. Bush was in office for eight years. That was certainly long enough to evaluate him as a President.

Do you believe he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize?

[miksmaster]

Maybe Obama needs to spend a few months of his first year in office at the Crawford Ranch.
He would get reeeeeeeeeeeeeeal smart reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal fast. Just like W.

[Peter Winkler]

Ask the Afghan and Pakistani civilians who have been killed since Obama was elected and escalated the war there or their surviving relatives if they respect Obama and America.

[miksmaster]

OK, give me a break. The guy's been in office 8 months. Do you really think / DO YOU REALLY THINK he can just send every soldier home overnight? The repubs would have a field day with that now wouldn't they. The first bombing over there and they would be all over the cut & run dem. He is thinking things through unlike the nimrod that got us into these wars in these wars in the first place. I know people have been killed but it could be much worse if the just pulled everybody out overnight.

[AnneMarie27]

Tough but true. So many interconnected threads. Mind-boggling.

[yamaniyama]

So true. I just love it when people blame him for the problems that have been in existence for years. I don't understand how anyone can be so ignorant as to think that he could turn these problems around in 8 months. I'm willing to give him the full 8 years, because that's how long it will take, and sometimes longer, for some issues to revert themselves.

[everychildsnana]

The Media this evening reported that Israel [leadership] said " there will be WAR in the Middle East if Iran gets nuclear weapons."
What does Israel call the 8 year-long & continuing activiites in the Middle East that murder & grossly maim USA military & USA non-uniformed protective services, OUR children & grandchildren-OUR most valued Treasures?
What are they to Israel? A bit less significant than a rocket-propelled grenade.
We want our treasures back now. Let the eternally warring tribes of the Middle East sort it out, in a few thousand years.
The Nobel Peace prize is an incentive for our President, & we extend our praise to him; having done that, we want him to remember that he is not Solomon,nor is he a Labor Mediator. .Gen. McChrystal asked for 50k more of our Treasures, then changed it to 40k more of our treasures- to be lost in that Corporate money pit made from their blood.The President will give McChrystal 10k, 20k of our Treasures, peacefully being a 'Moderate' by splitting the baby. Solomon only succeeded because he had a real Mother involved, and she instinctively chose her baby's life. Mr.President, we choose to bring our babies back, not send one more; not listen again to any politician or flag officer praising their fighting,d­ying,horri­ble maiming to protect the USA's security, freedom, sovereign borders, the US Constitution. It is all a lie, known to most of these children. Let them live to fight another day for THEIR USA .