Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Politiku

The Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to grant Obama the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize has not gone over well with the Taliban, Hezbollah or with Jamaat-eI-Islami, the conservative religious party in Pakistan. Nor did the Committee's decision sit well with Hamas, who also expressed disagreement about the Norwegian Nobel Committee's unconventional 2009 award recipient.

"What has Obama done to earn a Nobel Peace Prize?" seems to be the going question here in the United States as well. Why grant the world's most distinguished Peace award to someone with no concrete achievements to his credit and who is currently maintaining a strong military presence Iraq and in Afghanistan?

There is no featured contributor to this Politiku post. It is the Politiku Posse, in its purest element. A series of political current snapshots:

Jason Rosenbaum Politiku
Obama wins Prize/ What do you think, premature?/ I hope he earns it.

Donald Bassman Politiku
He has a high rank -/ by winning the hearts and minds/ of his countryfolk

Ellen Briggs Politiku
The Nobel Peace Prize?/ But Obama oversees/ two undeclared wars.

Karen Goldner Politiku
To aspire and to/ Inspire, that is the goal of/ The Nobel Peace Prize

Bart Windrum Politiku
Rhetorical dud/ Republican sour grapes/ Repeat again and...

Peter Orvetti
Just like Obama,/ I am also not George Bush./ So where's my Nobel?

Diane Stollenwerk
Bridge builder for all/ Relationships lead to trust/ Essential for Peace.

Rachel Levy Politiku
A call to action--/ Agreed. Otherwise, let's see./ More stuff strutted, please

Irene Cullen Gravina Politiku
Who else in power/ Rallied throngs worldwide to work/ For peace and justice

Susanna Speier Politiku
Other Laureates:/ Roosevelt, Wilson, Carter---/ Sent troops places, too.

The selection of the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize is no more our decision than it is the Taliban's, Hezbollah's, Jamaat-el-Islami's or Hamas' decision to make. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is not the United Nations. They are representatives of the estate of Alfred Nobel.

Alfred Nobel's Will explicitly states that an annual award be given, "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity among nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." The Norwegian Nobel Committee contextualized their decision, stating it was based on Obama's, "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

If Obama's award violates the criteria stated in Mr. Nobel's Will, then who is the more qualified contender and what makes him or her more qualified than the current award recipient?

 

 

Follow Susanna Speier on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Politiku

Comments

[Stephen M Wilson]

Some people don't seem to realize the point of the Nobel Peace Prize. It is easy to go to The Nobel Foundation web page and read the actual Statutes of the Nobel Foundation: http://nobelprize.org/nobelfoundation/statutes.html#par1 where it clearly states that the Nobel Peace Prize is to be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." Therefore, the prize is not given for actual accomplishments, but for work toward a goal--President Jimmy Carter received his Nobel Peace Prize for his effort in trying to bring peace to the Middle East (something that obviously hasn't happened to date) and Bishop Desmond Tutu was awarded his NPP in 1984 for his fight to abolish Apartheid in South Africa which didn't happen until the mid 90's. Of course, the same people who don't believe that President Obama deserved it, probably don't think that Carter or Tutu did either (and what about that Mother Theresa?).

[hp blogger Susanna Speier]

Thanks for not only reinforcing but for strengthening my argument.

[ICHN]

Obama doesn't deserve a nobel prize. The only reason he got it was because he's not Bush.

Keep in mind that the nomination happened before Feburary of this year. Obama had done less by then than now, and he's done nothing now, so...

Sums it up: http://www.icanhaznobel.com because this really is a joke.

[hp blogger Susanna Speier]

Um. Obama is not just NOT Bush, you know. Okay, if you're doing the opening sketch for last Saturday's Saturday Nite Live, maybe...

[johnbmunson]

Has anyone thought that the Nobel Committee was looking at Obama the man, not Obama the President? It is true that Obama as president has not accomplished much that I hope he can accomplish in his brief 9 months in office. But my daughter, a college student, points out that the very act of running for president, running the way he did, bringing Americans, with all of our history and current reality of racism, together, of telling the world that America is not the America of the Bush-Cheney do-it-my-way-or-we'll shoot-you school of world diplomacy but one that can listen, even empathize, with other nations, other peoples, other ways of viewing the world. That, certainly, is a giant step forward for humankind.

[hp blogger Susanna Speier]

Although I refrained from making it the central part of my Huffington Post argument, your daughter's points are similar to the points I raised when defending the Nobel Committee's decision to friends and to family. Obama campaign and consequent victory redefined our national identity. This is the first time in history that a member of a country's most historically oppressed minority successfully obtained the most powerful position in that country through a democratic election. As President of the United States, Obama takes ownership of his national and his cultural identity by translating our democratic and multicultural values into a language non-western countries are able to understand, respond to, identify with and relate to. Your daughter, as well as the Nobel committee, clearly appreciate this.

[turkeyvulture]

Not only did the Taliban, Hezbollah the Jamaat-eI-Islami, or the conservative religious party in Pakistan not like Bush, they HATED Bush just like the Left in the US hated him. It seems like a very bad example to use in tarring the people who realize that Obama did has not yet earned this award.

[hp blogger Susanna Speier]

I appreciate your differentiation between the extreme left and people who simply don't feel Obama has earned his award yet. I also appreciate the fact that there are varying levels of disagreement with the Nobel Committee's decision. Politiku contributors Jason Rosenbaum, Peter Orvetti and Rachel Levy also expressed various levels of skepticism regarding the award they believe Obama has yet to earn, as well. The Nobel Committee made their decision based on criteria specified in Alfred Nobel's Will and, after deliberating on the options, found Obama to be their most suitable candidate. Someone has yet to respond to my question by providing the name of a more deserving candidate.

[SAGMUN]

In Minnesota's Itasca Park there is a tiny creek you can step-over that is the source of the mighty Mississippi River.

Like the Mississippi River, Obama's efforts on behalf of world-wide reconciliation will receive the contributions of many Nations and individuals. It is for this, he and his supporters received the Noble Peace Prize.

In contrast to the imprudent logic tight compartment thinkers, the "clever" ones, and the orgasmic iconoclasts, the Nobel Prize committee acted with the upmost prudence.

[BruiserND]

polysyllabic popycock

[BruiserND]

BREAKING NEWS: This just in!!! Obama wins the Heisman Trophy after watching a college football game!!!