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The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Coffee in hand, I click on my first website of the day - as usual, the BBC news. After shaking my head at the top headline, I knew I'd be sharing my reactions (and hoping to hear yours) at Partizane.
It seems President Cicero (Good grief, I'm linking to George Will. As they say, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.) has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
I guess the only thing that really surprises me about this is the year. The Nobel committee had this to say about their reasoning.
Nobel Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve".
"It is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done," he said.
He specifically mentioned Mr Obama's work to strengthen international institutions and work towards a world free of nuclear arms.
These are lofty goals, indeed, but clearly unachieved as yet. (Hmm, I seem to have heard that somewhere before.) But if I were on the committee, using their reasoning, it would have been much more appropriate to designate Obama the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, since the basis of their award is what they 'hope' he might do...sometime soon. Then they could have awarded this year's prize to someone who actually has already done something to promote peace, and at the same time, saved themselves from having to make a decision in 2010. If we're looking to the future with confidence and hope, why not just go all the way in and give out a future award?
The best commentary I've heard on this so far comes from the BBC comments thread.
I intend in the next 5 years to invent clean nuclear power and a device to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere. Can I have my Nobel Physics prize now please.
Kit, Basingstoke, UK
Kit, I award you the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics. Fait accompli - good job!
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That's all I could think, then I realized we realy have fallen down the rabbit hole.
The cuttoff date for nominations was 2 weeks after he took office so this ranks with my spousal bot calling him the greatest President a few weeks before the swearing in.
He may not have done anything yet but, well, uh, we the Nobel Committee wanted to meet him in December.
and hi there Liz.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Please add YGTBK to the vote choices. That's my click.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
cast my vote right now!
back at ya
Oh my, how far we've fallen as a society when Bush III in sheep's clothing wins the Nobel Prize right before escalating the war in Afghanistan. I feel the same way I did when I saw Obama on the cover of Ms. magazine.
MS magazine cover. just showed the new feminists aren't feminists at all.
good point about just before escalation of Afghan War; we'll see if he deserved it after the next few years.......
nomination 2 weeks after he was elected? This would mean that the entire substance of the nomination was based on his campaign speeches. I think we've just become the most superficial nation that ever existed. Our contribution to the world is superior advertising. And hilariously, the Norwegians are impressed by that! Maybe because they all suffer from seasonal affective disorder...They seriously need cheering up or cheerleading.
Independently adrift
Nominations opened in September 2008.
Quite the joke. Of course the real fun is how the koolaid drinkers are now lumping all who make fun of this as crazy wingers.
I ain't no winger but I find it so sad and funny at the same time.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
everyone who isn't waving American flags of joy over this foolishness a 'Republican.' Yes, indeedy, only Republicans and terraists don't think The One deserves this. Nevermind that even Obama seemed nearly confused by it in his speech today.
Independently adrift
of my new thread http://partizane.com/node/1581
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
my reaction was "they have to be f#cking kidding me". I honestly they were doing an Onion edition or something.
maybe it was for the beer summit...
Do you see why we sometimes think we're in the twilight zone?
For the very reason that even Obama lovers are saying WTF, I think this may indeed be a good thing. An eye opener.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
I want my prize too! I have done voter registration drives, worked in my community, raised my children to be informed citizens. Oh wait, I have not yet written two books about myself- can I get credit if I say I will do it in the future!
WHAT is going on in this world?
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
What happened?!
Really good to see you again. Don't be a stranger 'round these parts.
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
I didn't know there was a Nobel prize for Global Marketing Triumphs. Because that's the only prize he'd fit the criteria for. I only wish that he'd made significant strides toward world peace.
The thing is, as critical as I am of Obama, it takes time and patience to achieve substantive improvements toward peace on any global stage. I would not have expected major advancements from any president so early, esp. not after the contributions of the Bush regime to destabilization which had to be undone.
This is just freakin' inexplicable.
...he won for NOT being George W. Bush in the eyes of the world. BO can thank Dubya for this honor. Seriously. That has to be it. Otherwise, WTF??
"Right wing sledge hammers never, ever help us." Pacific John
the, he ain't shrub argument won't cut it. they cut off nominations 2 weeks into his term. This award is for him being him.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Has anyone ever benefitted from more entitlement then this One? On the bright side, maybe it will push him to push a peaceful solution for Afgahnistan? Maybe he'll create a Department of Peace?
I think the boys wrote this one well and I can't think what I would have said any better except maybe to refuse the prize.
"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership," Obama said from the White House Rose Garden.
"I will accept this award as a call to action."
Obama said he did not feel he deserves "to be in the company" of past winners.
from CNN
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
That was the right thing to say. If he had declined the award, it would have come off as arrogant and dismissive of the Nobel committee's prestige and judgment. Whether those are already in serious question is certainly a valid subject for debate, but not one for Obama, the recipient, to dwell on. Just humbly accept the damn thing on behalf of America--not himself--and move on. That's what he's doing. As others have said here, hopefully this will encourage him to move more deliberately towards peace in Afghanistan and Iraq.
thanks Ron
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
He said all the right things.
to quit drinking
LOL
I think we all had a few too many
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
Remember Obama's apology tour of Europe last year? That must have been the basis of his nomination. His Cairo speech clinched winning it. He won for being the most anti-American president in history and for espousing the goals of the globalists.
http://womenstate.blogspot.com/
If you're wondering how this could have come about, "The One" knew and possibly lobbied this left leaning group
:
"Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, the peace prize is given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament.
and a quote from Michelle Malkin
From community organizer to Illinois state senator (present!) to U.S. Senator for 143 days before moving into the White House…and now, the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize — not for anything he’s actually done, but for the symbolism of what he might possibly accomplish sometime way off in the future:
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
That part about Obama having "possibly lobbied" for the award sounds completely made up. Women State needs to do a little more digging than that before that notion holds water. The Obamas actually appear pretty embarassed by this whole thing.
Dick Cheney couldn't have said it better.
The Weekly Standard via The Confluence who also linked this: Comment: absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize - Times Online
for this information -- I was wondering who was tossed under the Nobel bus for the One --those who actually deserved recognition passed over for Mr. Undeserved.
Liz, thanks for posting this (good to see you back).
I was speechless when I first heard this news, but now not so much. He was elected POTUS for accomplishing nothing of value and now he has the Nobel Peace Prize for accomplishing nothing of value. It's par for any course that Obama plays.
I hope our soldiers in Afghanistan and the people of Israel are able to keep themselves safe while this year's Nobel winner decides WTF to do in those regions. His lack of a clear policy has resulted in increased casualties among our troops.
It is also interesting to me that the POTUS has been awarded the prize after throwing the protesters in Iran under the bus and after having reached out to terrorists who have killed innocents. Iran just started sentencing protesters to death in its Islamic courts.
In one fell swoop, the committee has diminished the award; it has lost its luster and has ceased to have value.
They have different committees for science and literature or we'd have him getting the awrd for his body of literature. Instead we are honored by one like Herta Muller.
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
to his lofty campaign speeches, it's clear they've made the right choice.
Closing Guantanamo Bay (not scheduled to close by Jan 2010 deadline)
Advocating the process of law for those held in US detention (WH advocated legalizing indefinite detention without charges)
Championing human rights by visiting with the Dalai Lama (declined to meet with Dalai Lama after pressure from China)
Ending clandestine survellience of citizens (enhanced and extended the FISA spying provisions)
Ending the war in Iraq by establishing a timetable of troop withdrawal (some troops withdrawn but certainly hasn't ended the war by the timeline he flaunted in Hillary's face during debates)
Defining a mission scope for Afghanistan and an exit plan (scope not defined, likely to expand war)
Yup, this is a really peaceloving guy, who has the power to do something about it. Or not.
Independently adrift
where she told of McCane's qualification, then her own and said Obama "made" a speech.
“Mom!” my 12-year-old yelled from the kitchen. “President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize!”
I told her she had to be mistaken.
This is ridiculous -- embarrassing, even. I admire President Obama. I like President Obama. I voted for President Obama. But the peace prize? This is supposed to be for doing, not being -- and it’s no disrespect to the president to suggest he hasn’t done much yet. Certainly not enough to justify the peace prize
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/a_nobel_for_a_good...
"Extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples?” “[C]aptured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future?” Please. This turns the award into something like pee-wee soccer: everybody wins for trying.
emphasis mine. nh
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform
"Taken from WAPO at this link, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100901092.html?sid=ST2009100901112 :
On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes, the Nobel Prizes. As described in Nobel's will, one part was dedicated 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."
Number of Nobel Peace Prize
89 Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded since 1901. It was not awarded on 19 occasions: in 1914-1918, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1939- 1943, 1948, 1955-1956, 1966-1967 and 1972.
According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation: "If none of the works under consideration is found to be of the importance indicated in the first paragraph, the prize money shall be reserved until the following year. If, even then, the prize cannot be awarded, the amount shall be added to the Foundation's restricted funds." During World War I and II, no prizes were awarded."
Civil Discourse - ERA - A Mother President - Women's Rights - Primary Reform