The Nobel Committee and Obama

Oslo is a long way from the White House cabinet room, but the lack of compehension on the part of these five Norwegians is appalling.  Did they really think they were doing something nice for President Obama?  As someone has said, this was an early Christmas present for the Republicans.  Many Europeans never seem to understand that a lot of Americans do not think of themselves as naive provincials who should accept guidance from across the Atlantic.  Actually, the patronising tone that accompanies actions of this kind engenders a hostile reaction on both the left and right here. 

The president does not deserve this reward for any action he has taken.  He knows that.  He may some day deserve the award, but he does not deserve it now.

The Norwegian Nobel Commitee thinks that America should be rewarded for electing a Black man president? Listen, Norwegians!  We elected him, not you, not the Germans, and certainly not the British.  When Irish jokes stop being popular in England, that will be a pleasant development.  Let us see you Europeans (any of you) elect a Black person to be head of government and then you can begin to think of patronising us in this way! 

The Norwegian Nobel Committee thinks that America should be rewarded for a return to international multi-lateralism?  Well, what they have done is help in enabling those here who want the exact opposite of that.  They should have heard Liz Cheney say on Fox News Sunday today that their action was a reward for Obama for his supposed abandonment of the notions of American exceptionalism and "dominance."

Do you Norwegians hate Obama?  pl

Comments

[Bill Wade, NH]

I'm thinking that this award to President Obama won't sway his beliefs away from what's best for the interests of the USA, however, this neocon does think it will keep him from acting in Israel's best interests:

"Can a peace prize winner authorize air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities? Escalate the war in Afghanistan? Does the prize not add an extra dose of embarrassment to Mr. Obama's decision earlier in the week not to meet with the Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel honouree?"

David Frum, full article:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2088533

[N.Z.]

We love president Obama, his demeanour, tone and the feeling of peacefulness that he instills in the citizens of the world, we are not naive either, to think that words are sufficient .

Obama is a realist unlike Chenney and his gang . American exeptionalism and dominance ideology is what hastened America's demise, as well as all empires prior to her .

I wish their was a noble prize for war criminals, Ms. Chenney no doubt will be one of the imminent contenders, she will no doubt feel privileged .

Congratulations!

[charlottemom]

I think this is the Nobel Committee's attempt as a preempt peace strike.

Ireally resisted viewing this through the racial lens. However, a Brit friend thinks as you do about the committee bestowing this award to Obama now. You may be more attuned to the Euro thinking than I am.

[WILL]

Olmeret had a come to Messiah moment w/ the Israelis. It didn't happen until he had become a lame duck. He told them their security was not tied to possession of a certain hilltop or valley but in withdrawal from the West Bank.

Ron Paul also spoke truth. He said "they were over here (Al Ka'Aidah) b/c we are over there."

Roger Moore was super on Hannity. He said we went nuts over a couple of hundred people doing physical training on monkey bars. We invaded two Muslim countries instead of going after them & killing them. Goodness Gracious, This is the United States of America. (All b/c they got lucky w/ some clever tricks w/ airplanes and a boat!)

There are problems w/ both approaches discussed in Afghanistan, the COIN and the CT kinetic approach. AQ and the Taliban are much closer now than they ever were in 2001. When the Taliban were demoralized after their defeat and quit fighting, it was the Arabs (the Camels)that continued the fight, restored their spirits, brought over fresh tactics & tech from Irak, & cash from the Gulf.

Obama will not come into his Promise until he recognizes that the NATIONAL SECURITY of the United States is tied to disarming the gun-toting settler thugs of the West Bank and breaking the blockade of the largest open air prison of the world that is Gaza. What is needed is not a COINcentric policy but a Palestine-centric policy. He has Axlerod and Emmanuel on his side to cover him. He is as well positioned as anybody will ever be.

The Nobel Prize people knew what they were doing. They were trying to use Noble's invention (dynamite) to break the logjam!

It was a prize well expended! Good Show!

[Aosher]

and certainly not the British. [...] Let us see you Europeans (any of you) elect a Black person to be head of government and then you can begin to think of patronising us in this way!

And when America has elected a woman, we will accept the patronisation of this post in turn.

[b]

Many Americans never seem to understand that a lot of Europeans do not think of themselves as naive provincials who should accept guidance from across the Atlantic. Actually, the patronising tone that accompanies actions of this kind engenders a hostile reaction on both the left and right here.

The price is of course a political one and in this case it was given to further peace by pushing Obama on three main issues:
- nuclear disarmament
- no escalation in Afghanistan
- no attack on Iran

The committee applied the price in a typical Bush tactic: Preemptive attack.

The Noble committee is putting quite high stakes into this by risking its own standing should Obama not work on the above issues.

[Kevin G.]

Why should we (or the Norwegians) ever care what Liz Cheney says on Fox News?
Really.

[lina]

First, I give you the words of Joshua Micah Marshall:

"[T]he unmistakable message of the award is one of the consequences of a period in which the most powerful country in the world, the 'hyper-power' as the French have it, became the focus of destabilization and in real if limited ways lawlessness. A harsh judgment, yes. But a dark period. And Obama has begun, if fitfully and very imperfectly to many of his supporters, to steer the ship of state in a different direction. If that seems like a meager accomplishment to many of the usual Washington types it's a profound reflection of their own enablement of the Bush era and how compromised they are by it, how much they perpetuated the belief that it was 'normal history' rather than dark aberration."

Second, the people who watch FOX News are the people who believe Saddam Hussein moved his WMD into Syria just before the U.S. invasion. Neoconettes, like Liz Cheney, use this broadcast propaganda tool to keep their narcissism refreshed.

To see the NPP as further "diminishment" of our president is about as inside-the-beltway insular as one can get.

[CK]

It becomes tiresome when American typists first question about anything is: "But is it good for Israel's future aggressions?"

[Mark Stuart]

Not only are they arrogant but they are a bit naive too if not blatantly stupid. The French lead the pack:

The two main leading daily papers in Paris covered the news on their websites with a picture reminiscent of the Camp David or Oslo Accords! Yes we all HOPE too!

Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize Le Monde
Obama: "This Nobel Prize is a call to action " Le Figaro (scroll down a bit)

I am convinced from personal experience that people in Europe don't realize how arrogant they are in general and towards America in particular. In private conversations about the US and Europe, they always have to bring up their centuries old culture and History. But they will always leave out the fact that it was centuries of bloody History ... literally! Not to mention the treatment of their minorities! Boy do they have lessons to learn from us!

Did you hear Sarkozy Sir, trying to defend France's stature and position before Obama when our President was asked by French journalists about his take on the Muslim veil in France? What a lesson on Freedom and Liberty Obama gave them that day!

ms

[William R. Cumming]

Somewhat taken aback at first by PL's post after close study I find that I am in total agreement with the post and appreciate the effort that went into it.

[parvati_roma]

The award - seen from this side of the pond - had nothing to do with ethnic-origins (the Nobel has been awarded to people of all shades and nationalities at one time or another), a great deal to do with matters of acute survival-n'-wellbeing concern to Europeans themselves such as START talks,the quashing of that hyper-provocative NeoColdWar scheme to insert missile-shield bases in the Czech Republic and Poland, and the commencement of direct US talks with Iran.
Here's a post by an American historian who explains the perspectives and reasoning underlying the Nobel Peace prize award far better than I ever could.
Why Obama Won The Prize

[WILL]

Phillip Weiss shares my take on the Nobel Prize award.

http://mondoweiss.net/2009/10/nobel-prize-is-all-about-israel-just-ask-david-brooks-and-andrea-mitchell.html

nobel-prize-is-all-about-israel-just-ask-david-brooks-and-andrea-mitchell.html

"My thoughts on Obama’s Nobel are simple. It is all about Israel/Palestine and it is a good thing. It is an effort by the northern Europeans to give Obama political capital to put pressure on Israel. Period. Is it premature? Who cares. The Nobel people are trying to effect history. I hope they are effective. Obama secretly believes what Walt and Mearsheimer and Brzezinski and Carter say. He doesn’t have the political ability to say so. The Israel lobby has him chained to a radiator."

[Nancy K]

I don't believe the Nobel Peace Prize will make any difference in what President Obama does or doesn't do. He will do what he thinks is best for the US.
As for the Republicans, most notably the neocons, they were going after Obama for anything they could anyway.
I don't know why Obama was awarded the Peace prize at this time, hopefully it will be prophetic.

[Jose]

In less than one year, Foolbama has turned into a puppet of:

1. big money (Wall Street, Unions, China)
2. the Neocons
3. the Coinists (could also be big money)

So why shouldn't the Nobel Committee attempt to also make him a pawn?

His weakness shows:

1. attacks by the Republicans and now Liberals
2. defied by the Generals
3. broken by Bibi
4. most of all simple hubris.

If he had any integrity, he would not have accept that award.

Colonel, the Orvellegians love Foolbama because he is not Dumbya and represents "change we can believe in"...lol

[rjj]

Seems to me he (or they, as the case may be) responded as well as could be done.

Next week's chum: gays in military.

That poor sod needs to be saved from his admirers.

[LeaNder]

I can understand the irritation of the Americans. But I don't think, Colonel, that Europeans consider Americans as "naive provincials", quite opposite. They consider America as the "top dog".

Admittedly this time I would have loved to be a mouse able to overhear the whole process. Who exactly among the thousands asked to give their candidate did suggest Barack Obama,and how and why did they suggest him. As much as what exactly was the intention behind the final selection. The lines of thoughts leading to and beneath the words we are given.

I agree it may be more of a http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,654251,00.html>burden than a honor for him.

But I also think that it will enrage the neoconservative camp and Israel. It must remind them of Arafat, Peres, Rabin, 1994. Especially the first listed. I hope this doesn't turn the adverse winds into an anti-Obama hurrican. Europistan, Venus, attempts to politically interfere with the only true warriors, http://www.amazon.de/Beyond-Paradise-Power-Troubled-Partnership/dp/0415950511>Mars.

The first link above--DER SPIEGEL--meditating on Obama's burden beyond honor in this context starts with the Nobelprize tradition concerning the selection of US presidents or politicians.

[Patrick Lang]

will

"The Nobel people are trying to effect history."

They will. They have damaged Obama's chances of success. pl

[Patrick Lang]

CK

Who did that? pl

[Patrick Lang]

Kevin G.

Come on! If you think what is said by Cheney's nasty daughter on Fox News is not important in American politics then you are not paying attention. pl

[Patrick Lang]

b

Obama's political fate will be determined here, not in Europe. When did you get the vote in American elections? pl

[Patrick Lang]

Aosher

Ho Hum. Nationalist twaddle. You know very well that if HC had gotten the Democratic nomination, she would be president. pl

[Patrick Lang]

will

"the CT kinetic approach" This is a construct of your own making. pl

[curious]

Here is the big thing, and I challenge anybody to say otherwise,

At the opening decade of this millenia, US is a giant problem for the world peace. Six out of 10 Nobel prize was awarded specifically aimed at criticizing US power center and two related to old cold war mess (Kim Dae Jung) and US intervention in various places (Martti Ahtisaari)

Not only the committee is saying US has provincial minded worldview, but it consistently say US is a danger to world peace. This part should alarm everybody. The world is screaming but the status quo in DC doesn't get it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_Peace_Prize_laureates

So let's look at the list.

2001- Kofi Anan. (It was and attempt to stop Bush war by trying to shore up UN image that was being attacked by rightwing media. Irrelevant, corrupt, bla bla...)

2002 - Jimmy Carter. (He was the biggest, almost lone voice who says, Iraq war is unjustified)

2003 - Iran (If you remember Ebadi Nobel speech was, no nation can impose democracy upon other nation...)

2005- IAEA (Again, to counter Bush/Neocon war fantasy, specifically design to shore up IAEA argument against war with Iran)

2007 - Al Gore (Let's just say, nobody believe Al gore is 'champion of global warming'. He was chosen to give momentum to Democratic party/US opposition party. At the time Republican seems poised to win yet another term.

2009- Obama (The world is SPECIFICALLY WARNING, no war with Iran or whatever. Or you will be the only idiot with nobel peace prize who actually started another war. IE. truly doesn't get it.) The eradication of nuclear weapon is BS.

The nation SHOULD BE ASHMED that the world voted so many time, trying to prevent wars. Warning after warning, but nobody gets it.

We are the retarded member of the world community. Big gun, but doesn't get it.

The nation should hang head in shame, for the world will look back and read the history record.

[Babak Makkinejad]

When Mr. Noble established these prizes, his intention was to enable a young person of exceptional promise to pursue his interests in these areas of human endeavor without being burdened by financial considerations.

These prizes were not intended to become a sort of life-time achievement award given to old men and women for work that they had done decades earlier.

In the United States, the McArthur Foundation awards are given out in the spirit of Mr. Nobel's vision.