I'm sure most of you have heard that President Obama won the Nobel Peace prize. I've read and heard many comments that it was not deserved. Most importantly from the President himself.

continued...

"Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations. To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize."
-President Obama

Historically this award has been given to Presidents who have made important progress in world peace. The Nobel committee sited the President's contributions to nuclear disarmament and it is not without precedent for someone so new to high office to win the prize. Vice President Charles Dawes won the award in his first year in office for actions before he had been elected. President Obama was also involved in disarmament as a Senator, and his decision to scrap the idiotic Bush missile-defense system has done much for U.S.-Russian relations (Russia still having lots of nukes obviously makes open hostility with them a nuclear threat to America). After more of these types of disarmament actions and fulfilling his promises on climate change that might make him worthy of the award after his second term as President.

The committee also called the decision a vote of support from the world for his willingness to engage with the world for peace - this is why he truly does deserve the award.

With President Obama's change of American foreign policy he has taken us from one of the most hated nations under the shadow of Dubya to one of the most admired.

So in some ways President Obama has already changed the World, but how specifically will President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize helping to change America?

I have some disagreements with Obama Admin. policies (especially when it comes to civil liberties), but on balance I am happy with the direction the Administration is trying to go and the rest of America should be as well. On Healthcare, Climate Change - and yes even Afghanistan - the Administration is attempting to do exactly what candidate Obama campaigned on. This is exactly what a majority of Americans voted for last November. President Obama reacted the best way he possibly could by accepting the Nobel Peace prize as a call to action to enact his agenda and fully realize his campaign slogan "Change We Can Believe In."

The right-wing has reacted as I would expect, just like they do about ANYTHING President Obama does, by attacking him. This probably really made their blood boil right now because they so badly want him to fail. Any recognition for his action goes against thier carefully crafted narrative they are trying to foist on the American people. They are working hard to con America into thinking President Obama has accomplished nothing yet in his less-than-a-year in office. Hell they are even getting Saturday Night Live to buy into their crap. When I was thinking about all this a Johnny Cash song kept popping into my head.

"Son, this world is rough
And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough
And I knew I wouldn't be there to help ya along.
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
I knew you'd have to get tough or die
And it's the name that helped to make you strong."
-"A Boy Named Sue" Johnny Cash

By awarding President Obama the nobel prize the committe hung a big target on his neck for the GOP who are now going into overdrive histeronics to try prove them wrong. Also President Obama and his supporters (myself included) feel more then even before that they have something to prove to America and the World. I went out today and bought the book 50 Ways You Can Help Obama Change America, and I am fired up and ready to go!

Virgil Proudfoot's picture

Obama joins a long line of warmongers who won the prize

Teddy Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize after the Spanish-American War; Woodrow Wilson won it after World War I; Kissinger after Vietnam.

This should come as no surprise.

"I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems scary and weird. It'll happen to you."
—Abraham Simpson

StaceyDiamond's picture

prize

The Repubs are acting like he gave the prize to himself. I agree its great for the country.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Armored vehicles

I have a hard time reconciling that peace prize with the enduring image of a trainload of armored vehicles racing towards the coast yesterday afternoon.

Like you say, maybe that's the strategy. Give Obama the prize and hope he lives up to it.

__________________________
more construction, less politics

bobaubin's picture

Not only should we hope he

Not only should we hope he lives up to it, but HELP him live up to it by working to support him on issues like climate change, healthcare, and diplomacy.

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“...out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we cant, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can.”

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