President Barack Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Committee announced early this morning that President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Obama has “created a new climate in international politics,” the committee said in its announcement, referencing Obama’s agenda to reduce the world’s nuclear stockpiles through international institutions, restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, and build greater alliances with the Muslim world.
I confess, my first reaction was the same one articulated by my son: "For what?" I mean, the guy was apparently nominated two weeks after becoming President. Of course, that wasn't too early for some people to start declaring his Presidency a total failure, but still.
But as it turns out, the prize isn't just awarded for efforts that have already paid off. According to this piece at CBS.com:
more often, the prize is awarded to encourage those who receive it to see the effort through, sometimes at critical moments.
Interesting. Of course, the "new climate in international politics" bit could be a polite way of saying "we're just so damn glad you didn't elect Bomber McCain and that crazy hillbilly from Alaska who thinks she's Metternich because she can see Russia from some frozen windswept beach."
So, which wingnut's head will explode first?
10 comments:
I'm thinking the exploding head could be a race between Limbaugh and Beck. I'm hoping for two things: a literal head explosion and a tie.
I guess I should be ashamed of myself for ragging on the party of love, shouldn't I?
I don't know about which wingnut head will explode first, but Saturday Night Live should have a blast with this one (after last week).
Turns out Obama is Nobel Peace Prize (ignoring the 21,000 troop surge into Afghanistan) Awesome ...
I'm on the "What the Fuck?" side on this one. My wife says Matt Lauer on the Today Show said, I paraphrase, "They selected him because they hated Bush so much?" I see the Prize as being a reward for an accomplishment.
I guarantee parallels are already being drawn between Obama's award and Hitler's. Never mind that Hitler was never awarded a Nobel Prize.
Charlie: The mission in Afghanistan needs a announced focus and I am in favor of putting troops there. The current problems in Afghanistan would not have occurred had we not diverted everyone to Iraq. (Assuming, Rumsfeld would not have entirely fucked up Afghanistan anyway - which is a big assumption.)
Gerard said: "The mission in Afghanistan needs a announced focus and I am in favor of putting troops there. The current problems in Afghanistan would not have occurred had we not diverted everyone to Iraq. (Assuming, Rumsfeld would not have entirely fucked up Afghanistan anyway - which is a big assumption.)"
Tell it to the Russians, brother.
We're not going to "win" in Afghanistan or Iraq or Iran or anywhere in the middle east until the middle east decides what it (they) want to do for themselves. It's an abortion and I suspect Obama has started to realize the mistake he made while campaigning (that wrong war bullshit regarding Iraq--it's so wrong, get us out). Afghanistan is as necessary now (8 years down the road) as chucking rocks into a hurricane. He knows it. LBJ learned the hard way in Vietnam. I think Obama is smarter because he's starting to stall. He goes full tilt into this mess and it'll be his Waterloo (he won't need wingnuts to make himself look bad).
There's nothing to accomplish there (unless you know why we're still there)? I sure don't. I supported Bush's wars and was wrong for doing so. We got duped and he should've been taken to task for it. This guy is doing what differently right now?
Oh, right, he's stepping up one war, holding steady in the "wrong war" and getting a nobel "peace" prize for it.
I think the goal should be to finish off Al Queda (No, I don't know how especially since they are in Pakistan), smoosh out as much Taliban as possible, and then get out.
"Tell it to the Russians" Or the English, or the Mongols, or Alexander. The country is too broken up by geography and tribal differences to get too deeply involved. Try and cut the violence down, train their guys, and let them make a go at it.
Michael Yon always has interesting commentary on this topic. As Yon said, "We don't owe Afghanistan anything."
That would be fine (finishing off Al Qeada) but is it possible? It is a very nebulous goal. They're supposedly all over. It's been 8 years. Yes, we were diverted, but could we really have finished them off if they were in Pakistan?
Unless we're going to go Roman (and that's not going to happen anymore) ... it's over. Get our people out of there and then let's see some diplomacy. The war has proved nothing but an agonizing waste of lives (ours and theirs), money and effort.
Bush et al should have been impeached for the swindle, but maybe that's why he wasn't, so the Dems could keep the ball rolling. I have to wonder how many of those no bid contract winners are still getting paid for all the wonderful "services" they provide ($7.00 for a roll of toilet paper, etc.).
Nader in 2012 ... enough with the bullshit.
When I heard an explanation on NPR it made more sense, given a lot of under the radar stuff going on, but I confess to the same confusion. Like it or not, we are engaged in warlike actions on several fronts and host the biggest army in the world. Plus Al Gore got it two years ago. However, I think this is an incentive to earn the gift he was given so I applaud that.
Wingnuts will demand Obama turn the prize money over to the government on accusations that Obama should not receive outside income for doing his job.
(Actually, they may have a case there. Should he be able to keep the bucks if he wants too?)
Gerard: you may have been joking, but Glenn Beck has demanded that Obama turn the prize money over "to the Tea Party goers and the 9-12 Project."
I would support his donating the prize money to the ACLU or Southern Poverty Law Center.
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