November 22, 2009
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Analysis: A great prize, but will it help Obama achieve goals?
WASHINGTON — Now that he is Nobel laureate Barack Obama, will he find smoother sailing for his plans to rid the world of nuclear weapons, to forge peace in the Middle East peace and stabilize Afghanistan, to halt climate change?
Not likely.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee members made no bones about it: Helping Obama achieve ambitious peacemaking goals was their purpose in awarding the prize Friday to an as-yet mostly unaccomplished U.S. president.
But while the prestige could give Obama and his efforts a boost, nations steer their courses according to their own interests and little else. U.S. lawmakers, too, are not going to be influenced in politically difficult votes on climate change legislation or nuclear-reduction treaties by the Nobel Peace Prize, no matter whom it goes to.
That is not to say it was not an impressive achievement.
At just 48 years old and not even nine months in office, Obama became only the third sitting U.S. president to win the prize.
The widespread reaction, however, when the stunning news hit the nation was: For what?
Obama said so himself. “To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize,” he said hours after being awakened, and surprised, by spokesman Robert Gibbs.
Comments from Nobel committee members revealed that they fully intended to encourage, not reward. Consider this: The nomination deadline was only 12 days after Obama first entered the Oval Office. It is an enduring myth that the prize is only about accomplishment; it was created as much to supply momentum for peace as to celebrate it.
Indeed, with a leftist slant, the five-member committee was applauding Obama as much for what he is not: his predecessor. Former President George W. Bush was much reviled overseas for “cowboy diplomacy,” the Iraq war and his snubbing of European priorities such as global warming.
So some celebrating probably cannot hurt, as Obama presses forward on efforts to repair America’s relations with Muslims, bring Israelis and Palestinians into fruitful negotiations and turn back climate change. The committee especially singled out Obama’s aims to create a world free of nuclear weapons and to set out a new, more cooperative diplomatic doctrine.
“I hope it will help him,” Nobel committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said of the award. “Obama is the right man at the right time, and that’s why we want to enhance his efforts.”
“I will accept this award as a call to action,” Obama said. “This award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity.”
Still, Obama’s efforts are at far earlier stages than past winners’.
For instance:
-He and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev have set negotiators working toward an agreement to significantly reduce nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles. But getting to zero nuclear weapons across the globe, which Obama acknowledged “may not be completed in my lifetime,” means corralling both friend and foe abroad and lawmakers at home behind a mind-bendingly thorny web of treaties and agreements.
-Obama said he would end the Iraq war. But he launches deadly anti-terror strikes in Pakistan, Somalia and elsewhere and is running a second war, in Afghanistan, that he already has escalated once and is considering ramping up again while trying to persuade mostly reluctant NATO allies to contribute more.
-He has pushed for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. But there has been little cooperation so far from them.
-His administration is talking to U.S. foes, like Iran, North Korea and Cuba. But it has little to show from that, either.
-He pledged to take the lead against climate change. But the United States seems likely to head into December’s crucial international negotiations in Copenhagen with legislation still stalled in Congress and nations crucial to global agreement, including China and India, showing reluctance to come on board.
With many seeing the award as premature, there is the chance it could provoke a small backlash that makes Obama’s work harder.
So, no doubt the news of the prize brought trepidation along with joy. As Obama’s former foe for the White House, Republican Sen. John McCain, said: “He now has even more to live up to.”
Perhaps one reason there was no public celebrating at the White House on Friday.
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What an absolute joke. And everyone in the world knows it. I know..lets put Matt cassel in the pro bowl today, and hand out coach of the year to Todd Haley. They suck right now, but say they are going to be good.
Lets bypass this guy........Greg Mortenson, nominated for the prize by some members of Congress, who the bookies gave 20-to-1 odds of winning. Son of a missionary, a former army Medic and mountaineer, he has made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan - a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress.
And give it to someone that gives great speeches. Could you or Obama look this guy in the face and not be embarrassed? The members that voted on who gets the prize have got to have their hands out for some money.And if Obama had any stones at all, and is the great person he claims he is. He would have declined it and made sure someone more deserving got the award. But thats not going to happen. I can only hope Kanye West shows up when he accepts his award...what a joke.
hahaha... rk92559 you're a very bitter person... and i love it! the rest of the world is moving on, you and you're pitty party are being left behind. good luck with that.
Really?? The rest of the world is laughing at us. I wonder, does doing promos for George Lopez's late night talk show factor into getting the nobel peace prize? I don't care what party he belongs to, or any of them for that matter, they just made the Nobel Award a joke.
Will he give the prize money to acorn to pay his election debts?
Actually if he was honest about it, he would refuse the award stating that it is premature and he hope to actually earn it in a year or two.
I see this award as an attempt by the Nobel committee to influence his decisions about US foreign policy. It would be better if they just stayed out of it.
the extreme right refuses to acknowledge any fact not in support of their position. one year ago our country was rated 7th among world powers and is now rightfully and once again seen as number one. the last administration was viewed as unfavorable by all foreign countries by over 80% with the exception being italy placing that number at 73%. today those same numbers are exactly opposite and it is no coincidence why. the hard right may have valuable contributions to make for our country but unless they moderated their rhetoric will remain as the minority at the polls.
direct talk: Have you seen the value of the dollar this week?
Of course other countries favorability ratings are going up. Other countries appreciate a neutered America, however, Americans don't like it and that will be clear at the midterm elections next year and even more clear when Barry takes a seat at the table with the other one-term Presidents.
we will see. the course of the dollar is the direct result of a glide path set from the failed decisions of the previous 8 years. checked the markets lately or did you neglect to notice where things were at the end of last year.
That whole blaming the last administration for today's problems doesn't work anymore. Remember when Obama said that UNLESS we pass the stimulus, we would see unemployment at over 8%. Well guess what? We spent over 800 billion on that puppy and we are nearing 10%. If you would do a little research you will see that it is because the stimulus wasn't actually designed to stimulate the economy, it was designed to payback lobbyist and large political donors. Obama/Pelosi/Reid's actions have actually made things worse.
Almost without exception, economists predicted the economy would recover on its own without that POS stimulus. But heck, like Rahm says, don't waste a good crisis. The democrats used the plunging markets and worsening economy to mortgage our kids future. So you can blame the onset of the crisis on Bush if you want. Just remember that Obama was in the Senate and the dems were in control when that happened too. The blame for the prolonged recession will have to rest solely with the current administration and congress. The time for making excuses is over.
the projection for unemployment as to before hings would turn was approximately 10% and looks like that number was accurate. interesting how little details such as unfunded wars and the like are usually left out of discussions like this. not to mention a budget surplus at the beginning term of the previous administration. too bad the serious concerns over deficits did not start in the years prior. there is a 9 month record of the current administration versus the 8 years under the bush administration. as i said we will see where things are at over the next 3 plus years and and then compare notes again. only excuses heard recently seem to be that of denying how things leading to a near melt-down evolved.
Scratchy I love it you are right on target. All of these bitter people were probably celebrating when the U.S. lost the olympic bid. Sad pathetic little minds. These people probably have never done anything worthwhile in their lives but armchair quarterback. But thank goodness we had the right to vote and get rid of their skewed thought process. Now they are left to be bitter w/out any real say in anything. HA HA HA HA HA HA LOSERS!
What an embarrassment to the USA. DierctTalk, how are we rated #1 now when we came in LAST in the Olympic bid, where all the TV stations feel they deliberately slammed us? This is a joke rating him with the other 2 Presidents.
well coyote you need to do some research and you will find that this is in fact accurate. sure that a few stories like this have been conveniently left out of the coverage by some networks like fox. in any case a point that should make every citizen proud regardless of their politics.
apm could not have said it better.
When I'm wrong, I'm wrong, guess I need to check it out.
when we will all just agree to disagree? Obama was given the prize. get over it and just accept it. there is nothing you can do but piss and moan. you select few or so say you , the majority? i think not. when is it all just going to be accepted he is your president also? we will let you say that too.we wont keep him to ourselves. he is the president of this united states of America and if don't believe that, keep watching fox. they will tell you how to think and you wont be scared anymore.what a bunch of pee moaners!!!!!
I don't watch Fox and I still think it is stupid. And the rest of the world and 90 percent of the country that knows it is a sham is a majority.