The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama.
Some initial commentary has called the award unprecedented and wondered why the committee would give President Obama the award when he "hasn't done anything yet."
But anyone who thinks this award is unprecedented hasn't been paying attention.
The Nobel Committee gave South African Bishop Desmond Tutu the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his leadership of efforts to abolish apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid wasn't fully abolished in South Africa until 1994. The committee could have waited until after apartheid was abolished to say, "Well done!" But the point of the award was to help bring down apartheid by strengthening Bishop Tutu's efforts. In particular, everyone knew that it was going to be much harder for the apartheid regime to crack down on Tutu after the Nobel Committee wrapped him in its protective cloak of world praise.
That's what the Nobel Committee is trying to do for Obama now. It's giving an award to encourage the change in world relations that Obama has promised, and to try to help shield Obama against his domestic adversaries. The committee is well aware that history is contingent and that Obama might fail. It knows very well that the same country that elected Obama also gave the world George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
The initial steps that Obama has taken are already under fierce attack. The Obama administration has now recognized that the Afghan Taliban are not a threat to the United States and that the United States can live with the Afghan Taliban playing a role in the government of Afghanistan. But right-wing forces in the military, Congress, think thanks and the media are denouncing these moves towards sanity as surrender. They want a full-out Vietnam against the Taliban.
The Obama Administration has begun its promised diplomatic engagement with Iran. Of course, as every honest person knew, real engagement meant de-emphasizing the unachievable demand that Iran end its enrichment of uranium and instead focusing on achievable demands like opening Iranian enrichment facilities more fully to UN inspections and greater international oversight over the enriched uranium that Iran has already produced. Here also, the "endless war" right-wing is trying to undermine Obama.
In giving this award, the Nobel Committee is telling these right-wing forces to back off. And it's sending a message of encouragement to those Americans who put Obama in office:
"Showing signs of significant improvement. Keep up the good work."
Follow Robert Naiman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/naiman
There are a number of others who have received the award in recognition and encouragement of efforts that had not yet -- and in some cases still have not -- borne fruit:
1935 Carl von Ossietzky -- for opposing Hitler , not defeated for another ten years;
1991 Aung San Suu Kyi -- for opposing the Burma tyrants who still have her under house arrest;
1994 Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin -- for efforts towards Middle East peace which has still not been achieved;
2002 Jimmy Carter -- for efforts towards Middle East peace which has still not been achieved;
2003 Shirin Abadi -- for opposing the hardliners who are still in control in Iran
The naysayers need to learn their history -- and READ!
Awards like these prove that the rest of the world thinks that what he is doing is right.
best and most clear analysis of the nobel's strategic thinking.
Tutu's greatest achievement was the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was a totally new thing under the sun and a briliant piece of spiritual engineering.
TWELVE DAYS!!!!
Good god, forget Tutu (who'd been protesting apartheid, albeit not-too-loudly, for over a decade before his Nobel)...Mandela and Walesa must be mortified at this puffery.
In fact, Lech has already expressed his disdain: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125509603349176083.html
I LIKE Obama...I voted for him, support most of what he's done/doing. But this award, which of course, he didn't ask for, indeed insults those who have suffered & earned them in the past with actual deeds & acomplishments.
Moreso...it preempts any ACTUAL feelings of merit and accomplishments for Obama down the road when/if he EARNS this award. Most likely, he won't even get it, as the committee would be savaged even more for it's partisan maneuverings.
This has given the Right a legitimate 'cudgel' with which to attack the "cult of Obama"...THAT might be the worst thing of all.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
"What wonderful recognition of someone who has already made such an impact on our planet with regards to the Muslim world, nuclear disarmament, climate change and, to some extent, the Middle East. He has reached out to the Arab world, including Iran, and North Korea.
In a way, it's an award — coming near the beginning of the first term of office of a relatively young President — that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all. It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope."
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1929393,00.html