BellaOnline Forums News and Politics Democratic Party President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

This from the Huffington Post:

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.

The stunning choice made Obama the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. Obama's name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president.

What do you think? I think the rest of the world thinks we've got a good guy who's on the right track leading us. And I agree!

I was so excited to read the news. Yes, Barack Obama does deserve the Nobel Peace Prize 2009 !

From what I've read in articles about Pres Obama by the European press, I'm not sure they will agree he deserves this award. Here are a few of the comments so farfrom several European sources published in the Wall Street Journal. The comments to this posting are also revealing.

Hopefully, it will inspire him to actually try and bring some peaceful solution in the middle east and to the 2 wars America is currently waging in Iraq and Afghanistan. So far his efforts have not proven very fruitful.

Here are some more European comments as well as from Americans.

I think this may have an adverse effect on Pres Obama, more than a positive one, in the end because it may cause people to actually evaluate what he has and hasn't done so far.

There is always negative comments to go with positve. I am proud of our President and from those folks that I know in Europe they are as well. Thank goodness we now have someone in office that most of the rest of the world can respect rather than consider a joke - the last eight years has decimated our reputation in the world view and in only half a year it has been reclaimed - quite a feat for one man to accomplish in so little time.

Thank you all for your comments and links. I think the award is a carrot from the rest of the world, saying "run faster, you can do it." Is it also a reaction to GWB? I think so. But again, that's encouragement from the rest of the world, saying, "Hey Amerca, you finally shed the "axis of evil" guy. Here's a little prize to keep you motvated to do better."

I hope this gives him clout to start shutting down the two wars. Wishful thinking . . .

Lets be honest- if Obama wanted to bring all the troops home by Christmas, he could: It would involve standing up to the UN, something George W. Bush never accomplished, either.

Cindy, why would he have to deal with the UN? I agree he can bring the troops home if he wants to, but I think the obstacle is the Dept.f Defense and the Americans who think withdrawal = defeat and defeat makes us not good "cowboys."

Depends how he words it. if he tells the Pentagon that the troops are needed at home ( for example, parts of Georgia are still reeling from the floods)they might go along- the objective is a well defined mission, which no longer exists in Iraq, anyway. I think Obama would win that one.

So do I, Cindy. It's Afghanistan that's going to be a little tougher. Isn't it funny how history gives us such obvious lessons (i.e., Vietnam) and yet we find it o hard to learn them.

Thanks for your comment.
Susan