barack obama - nobel peace prize

[Ankou]

"a best premature, at worst misguided".

what do you think ? i don't know how such a highly regarded award can be given to someone actively involved in war, the npp sets out to give the award...

"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."

obama gets it: for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

shouldn't they at least wait a while ?

[jake-the-peg]

Well Henry Kissinger got it!

Yes obviously they should have waited - bad call - he was embaressed too.

But they can't take it away now so let them give it to him, he'll say thanks and we'll all move on

[Ankou]

ok, he's a bit of a bastad what with cambodia an'all, but kissinger was awarded it - along with le duc tho - after signing a peace agreement with vietnam.

[jake-the-peg]

Isn't that a bit like giving a burglar a prize for stopping theiving?

[Ankou]

i suppose it happens, so the dm tells us. they get playstations and holidays don't they ?

[LazyGun]

Given the timing of when the award was first given, I think this says a lot more about the committees judgement over how important a nation like the USA is when it comes to wars and international policing actions , and, probably more importantly, their view of George Dubya Bush, his percieved Hawkish stance, and his lack of engagement with the International community, the UN in particular.

But yes, it was given prematurely.

[youngmafbog]

In this country under noo labour I expect there are examples of prizes for stopping thieving (or not as the case usually is)

[jake-the-peg]

Yes well you expect that under new labour everyone will be forced to own a whippet and wear a flat cap!

Back to the Nobel peace prize - I think Lazy Gun is pretty close - a lot of people got a bit carried away last year and Obama's citation should really for not being George W Bush.

This is not so much an idication of how much he's achieved as much as how low the international reputation of the US fell under George - from my experience it got so bad that visiting American colleagues were apologising for him!

[jake-the-peg]

Why shouldn't Kissinger have got it?

Well he was secretary of state (equivilent to foreign minister) during the Vietnam war and was instrumental in a massive bombing campaign in Cambodia. He was also involved in intereference in a number of Latin American countries.

Yes he helped get the US out of Vietnam but not for a fundamental desire for peace.

It would be a bit like giving it to Gordon Brown for ending the war in Iraq

[ludwig]

Personally I'd have alot more respect for him if he'd politely declined the prize on the grounds that he didn't feel he'd done enough to deserve it yet, because he so obviously hasn't.
The awards committee would have had their noses put out of joint and made to look foolish, but who cares, because it was a foolish decision. Obama's standing would have risen in everyone elses eyes - as it is it's probably dented his reputation slightly.