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Praise and Skepticism Greet Obama Nobel Award
LONDON- A surprised world greeted the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to U.S. President Barack Obama with a mixture of praise and skepticism on Friday.
In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee hailed Obama's
"extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and
cooperation between peoples."
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg referred to Obama's work for peace and disarmament, saying: "This is a surprising, an exciting prize. It remains to be seen if he will succeed with reconciliation, peace and nuclear disarmament."
Afghanistan's Taliban mocked the award, saying it was absurd to give it to Obama when he had ordered 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan this year.
"The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the 'Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians'," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency -- awarded the prize in 2005 -- said: "I cannot think of anyone today more deserving of this honor. In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement: "The award of the prize to President Obama, leader of the most significant military power in the world, at the beginning of his mandate, is a reflection of the hopes he has raised globally with his vision of a world without nuclear weapons."
In the Middle East, chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said the award could be a good omen for peace in the region.
"We hope that he will be able to achieve peace in the Middle East and achieve Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders and establish an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital," he told Reuters
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told army radio he believed the award would enhance Obama's ability "to contribute to establishing regional peace in the Middle East and a settlement between us and the Palestinians that will bring security, prosperity and growth to all the peoples of the region."
The Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and opposes a peace treaty with Israel, was more skeptical.
"Unless real and deep-rooted change is made in American policy toward recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people I would think such a prize would be useless," Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas prime minister in the Gaza Strip, told reporters after Friday prayers.
REAL CHANGE
Saleh al-Mutlaq, a senior Iraqi Sunni Muslim lawmaker, told Reuters: "I think he deserves this prize. Obama succeeded to make a real change in the policy of the United States -- a change from a policy that was exporting evil to the world to a policy exporting peace and stability to the world."
In Indonesia, Masdar Mas'udi, deputy head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdatul Ulama, said: "I think it's a good thing. I think it's appropriate because he is the only American president who has reached out to us in peace. On the issues of race, religion, skin color, he has an open attitude."
In Pakistan, Liaqat Baluch, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a conservative religious party, said: "It's a joke. How embarrassing for those who awarded it to him because he's done nothing for peace. What change has he brought in Iraq, the Middle East or Afghanistan?"
South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu, awarded the prize himself in 1984, hailed the award as "a magnificent endorsement for the first African American president in history."
Two other former recipients, Mikhail Gorbachev and Wangari Maathai, were among the first to offer their congratulations.
Gorbachev, the former Soviet leader awarded the prize in 1990, was quoted by Itar-Tass news agency as saying: "In these hard times people who are capable of taking responsibility, who have a vision, commitment and political will should be supported."
Maathai, a Kenyan environmentalist who won in 2004, referred to Obama's mixed heritage of a Kenyan father and American mother, called it "another very encouraging event for Africa."
From Obama's ancestral village of Kogelo in western Kenya his uncle Said Obama told Reuters: "It is humbling for us as a family and we share in Barack's honor. We congratulate him."
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangarai, who had been among the favorites to win this year, said Obama was an extraordinary example.
"I wish to congratulate President Obama. I think he is a deserving candidate," he told Reuters during a visit to Spain.
Writing by Andrew Dobbie; Editing by Angus MacSwan
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257 Comments so far
Show AllIt won't.
Much to the contrary, it'll make it much easier. Now that he has the prize, Obama REAAALY won't give a sh*t.
Will they give me a god damn peace prize for expanding a global war of imperialism too? What if I deny thousands of people much needed health care? Or give money to super-rich CEO's and let people default on their loans and become homeless? SHIT I GOTA BE MORE LIKE OBAMA!!!!
Come on!
And they did not give the Nobel peace prize to Bush Jr.?
Why is the world so unfair? Jesus Christ!!
I'm afraid the Rabbi Jeshua ben Joseph will not be awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, either.
What a load of shit. Nobel means nothing. I think Orwell is laughing in his grave and it shows you just how controled the public mind is. Scary.
And the award for "Best Spoken Word Performance" goes to...!
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
My bulldog, Luigi, did more for the cause of peace than this shlub.
LUIGI HAS MY VOTE!
If only the Retardicans' "hero" Ronnie Raygun had gotten a Nobel for all his "Tear down this wall" BS. Instead it went to the guy that actually did it, Mikhail Gorbachev.
(LOL)
An Oscar for Best Actor, perhaps, but a Nobel Prize? And a PEACE one at that? A joke of the greatest order.
This is part of a growing worldwide sickness that rewards the heads of enterprises handsomely regardless of their accomplishments, or lack thereof. People who are really laboring for peace are written off as uninteresting.
Joe
Obama deserves this prize. He has shown us that a cool head and a willingness to engage in an unemotional manner despite the roaring noise of the 'rat race choir'. He has reached out to other countries in a profound way. His willingness to engage with our 'enemies' and his goals on nuclear disarmament and global warming are cause for hope. I am proud to have this man as President of my country for he brings with it a willingness for peace among people and nations. He has inherited a country and world DEEPLY divided. Just look at the manner of discourse amongst us. The amount of abusive language deployed by the Left and the Right is coarse and profane and shocking at times. President Obama is a model for sober and meaningful action and dialogue in a world of anger and hatred. He has come into office (and has only been there for less than a year) with a country seemingly poised for a civil war and brings to us a model of civility. I too disagree with many of the things that are going on, an increase in the defense budget high up there, but I urge my fellow progressives (I was at the barricades, more times than many here) to take a breath and try to be the 'cooler heads' in a world full of hate and poverty of body and spirit.
And while being bombed, rounded up and imprisoned, shot at, spied on, starved, uneducated and unemployed or escorted to the gas chamber, don't forget to be polite, use civil discourse and considerate respect towards are elected officials servile to the greedy class looting the Country and threatening the future hopes for the world.
fellows, he has only been in office for 10 months. the policies and actions and power centers he has inherited are daunting. Let's show some degree of patience. he has instituted initiatives for peace and health care in that short time. We are pulling out of Iraq and not engaging in torture. he has inherited a country DEEPLY divided. look at the virulent opposition that opposes ANYTHING that smacks of looking out for the next guy. in fact they are publically calling for his assassination! One thing not lacking in the 'dialogue' is the ability at jumping to conclusions so quickly. Lets give him a chance, don't expect too much and for goodness sakes let the cooler heads prevail.
Here it is again. The same fawning whining excuses.
Everyone would be willing to give Obama time--that isn't the issue--the problem is in the time he has had, starting from day one, he has continued Bush policies, been complicit with Corporate directives, been absent on pressing matters, backed out of cancelled or delayed environmental treaties--I mean, the list goes on.Aren't you paying attention? Don't you care? So before you come in here echoing your worn apologies that keep us all from holding our government to account, maybe it is time to deal with what is rather than what you wish it would be.
Vern said-"Don't you care? So before you come in here echoing your worn apologies that keep us all from holding our government to account, maybe it is time to deal with what is rather than what you wish it would be."
How may I ask how you are holding your government to account Vern? by typing on a computer? and how do you know that I am not?How do you know what I wish it to be Vern? Please tell me you seem to have some sort of magical insight.
I was a young hot head rebel Vern and helped organize multiple marches in Washington DC against the Vietnam war. I was there at the Pentagon. I threw rocks through bank windows out of anger to stop the war machine. I was on the frontlines during the anti apartheid divestments. I was there during the period of withdrawal during the El Salvador and Nicaragua wars. I paid my dues brother, I was arrested in both NY and DC for blocking and occupying and resisting arrest. I've devoted my life work to racial justice and anti war activities and i got product to show for it, 5 films which have been seen by millions of people. I walk the talk and if you don't believe me email me and I'll show you. You're telling me I don't care? I got a kid man. Holding our government to account? you've got to be kidding me? They're bought off they won't listen to you writing emails or blogging angrily to me. The only thing they understand is masses of us. What I do know is that President is a decent man and I think he will listen if pressed, but we've got to yell in unison the hundreds of thousands of us maybe the millions of us who yell at each other on the computer screen. NO MORE WAR!!!! NO MORE LOBBYISTS TWISTING OUR ELECTIONS!! Get off your screens rebels and organize in the real world cause I'll be there! These are critical times.
Lucky you Rico,
But you can't expect success from those things anymore. When we marched against bush in 2003 and 2004, they only allowed it (via march permit) on the weekend, when all the political despots where out of town. Then the media didn't cover even one shot of of it even though we had over 100,000 people participating. And you had to follow a roped-off pre-selected route away from congressional offices. What a Joke! Then "Rush-the-Druggie" claimed that there was only 10,000 of us there.
We have to realize that we are in a much worse situation than you were in the 60's. There's no free media. We are being occupied by a domestic army called NorthCom. It's 1770 all over again, the Boston Massacre, and Red Coat troops are abusing us. Obomer is a Torry Loyalist. He, like GWB, is a product of Harvard University and a Big Oil family. Thomas Jefferson called Harvard: "the biggest center of Despotism known in America." which is why he started Virginia University.
Obomber's a con man, and he's fooled you, which is why the MIC and the Banks backed him. The only thing that's got any chance is to hurt their bottom line, the same way they've looted and destroyed middle America.
NATIONAL BOYCOTT
NATIONAL STRIKE
TJ
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
Yup, yer right Vern. I award him the Ignoble Sleaze Prize.
We gave him a chance and he failed!
damn straight - he should've had the bush gang dragged in chains from his inauguration podium.
Rico 1:22 ------ The point is he has accomplished much in 10 months on his own volition but it is at least 80% negative.
The greatest tranfer of wealth to the rich in history.
esculating AFPAK.
Crushing Palestinian justice with suppression of Goldstone report.
Non Compliance in Prosecuting War Criminals.
Demonizing Iran today.
Increased Pentagon Budget
Continuing Nuke Modernization Program
Torture on request.
Expanding Bagram Gulag
"We are pulling out of Iraq "
When? Note, leaving a large force there for some indefinite period to provide "training" or whatever the Obama administration calls it it isn't pulling out.
"and not engaging in torture"
How do we know this? Guantanamo is still open. Bagram is still open. The Obama administration refuse to release much of any information about Bagram.
Now Rico Your Boo hoo logic is an eye opener to us all,thanks.Where have you been for the last how many years? I know,let me guess,watching reality shows? Is your real name Michelle? Peace and wealth care,that's what we the people aspire to. Obomba is just doing what he thinks we all want, yeah.Whats the point of leaving Iraq anyway, a great tourist opportunity there, with their deformed cyclops babies from depleted uranium tipped missiles, our dumping ground for nuclear waste makes it ideal don't you think? Dispose of our waste there or even downtown detroit and make them tourist destinations. War tourism like they do in Israel.Infact instead of our children learning from war video games they could go with mommie and daddy to the war tourism zones, I see it. Iraq too could be a great place for the rich to go on halloween tricks not treats night,yeah.I get it,the president's plan is becoming clearer to me!
EXACTLY!
Good sentiments Rico but make a list of what he has done and what he has not done.
The list of positive accomplishments is almost non existence, the one for criminal acts and missed oppurtunities is extremely long. I am too weary to delineate ,please ask almost any other poster who types faster than me.
Citizens of the world especially USA are justifiably angry, their hopes and aspirations have been shat upon by another squinty eyed corporate stooge.
People want action, not some smooth talking, calculating, empty suited thug who, to this point, has done exactly the opposite of what he said he'd do.
At what magical point in time will he change, I wonder?
Rico Rico Try harder to get a clue! It's not about left or right.These are just buzz words that the elites have conjured up for the media to spew out during their propaganda tirades so that we the people can feel unempowered and confused like 'derivatives' who the hail among the working class knows what that word means it's all designed to make you think that something's goin on that might be a good thing for you! The only thing that's goin on,is the ripoff game The big con.The already enriched get richer by the minute and abscond with their money "offshore" and the main source of their wealth is WAR WAR WAR and OBOMBA is the great enabler for their agenda! A Yes man,for sure but a man of peace? IN YOUR DREAMS!
The only reason to give Obama a peace prize is to prod him into creating peace.
At this point he certainly doesn't deserve it.
Obama actively opposses the Geneva Conventions and the USA Constitution and laws by suppressing the Goldstone report and blocking prosecution of USA War Criminals.
He was silent on the Gaza Holocaust, He embraces drones with their 80-90% civilian kill rate, clings to cluster bombs which mostly kill children, increases nuke production in the USA and pentagon budget. Offers Copenhagen nothing except a refutation of Kyoto.
He used his acceptance speech to Demonize Iran who has flung open it's doors to inspectors and has no known weapons program but is mum on israel's 200 Nukes.
If you were foolish enough to fall for WMD's in Iraq.
YOU ARE A HUGH IDIOT IF YOU THINK IRAN POSES A THREAT TO PEACE.
Iran only may some day pose a threat to israels acting out its criminal, genocidal policies with impunity.
They gave the Peace Prize to Arafat and Sharon...we'll see how this one works out.
I basically like President Obama, though he is much too "Right Wing" for my tastes.
However, the Taliban do have a point when talking about our President escalating the war in Afghanistan.
And, if the President were really looking for peace one of the main things that he would do would be to give a major national speech, telling Americans and The World that Israel has at least 100 nuclear weapons. He would state in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that IF nations expect Iran to not develope nuclear weapons, THEN Israel has to destroy theirs.
Only then would President Obama truly stand for peace in the Middle East.
Actually Israel has 300 nukes and are particularly fond of their WMDs especially White phosphorous OBOMBA Is up there with some of the greats and obviously fits right in!
Mr. Prince from Blackwater has been in the peace biz far longer than Obama. A big oversight on the Nobel Committee's part.
Well, Hitler was a nominee in 1938 so you are probably correct!
Prince may have been in the running. What about Omar al-Bashir of Sudan? That man has been working day and night to bring eternal peace to the people of Darfur, hasn't he? At least they could have shared the prize.
GOOD ONE!
Another con from the house Negro, what Malcom X would probably label Obama. Like the bumper sticker says: WAR IS JUST TERRORISM WITH A BIGGER BUDGET. This is an insult to all the real deserving people in the world, which are too many to list here. Well I guess Obama just keeps proving me right: He is the consummate con man!
If Obama has any actual integrety behind his wonderful prose, he will decline the award on the basis that he has not actually accomplished anything yet besides getting elected.
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Deepa
For winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Obama should be more concerned than happy for ranking him with fellow Americans such as Henry Kissinger, the war criminal.
the one who should have been Nobel Peace Prize winner is Yunus of the Grameen Bank for helping poor people since almost 3 decades ago with his "micro-loans" that has helped so many indigents , particularly women.
Obama is NOTHING compared to him.
Yeah but Yunus doesn't get the point. The trend is to wipe out populations not save them
A hearty congratulations to President Obama for receiving the Nobel Peace prize. Whatever the President's shortcomings, he has effectively reached out to people in Africa and the Middle East. He has acted forthrightly in pursuing Middle East peace and reducing tensions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has instituted a more rational missile defense and nonproliferation policy and has made some headway in our relationship with Iran. His pursuit of health care, while flawed, is rooted in compassion for the working American. Also, the President has demonstrated remarkable restraint in dealing with his often vituperative domestic critics.
Yet all of his domestic and international initiatives in are in an early phase. Also, the sheer magnitude of the world's environmental and peace problems require bold political and moral leadership. Yet, within the last nine months the President has without question demonstrated a maturity and inspirational level of leadership that far exceeds his recent predecessors. However, it is important for the President to remember that lofty, well intentioned rhetoric that does not manifest in substantive change is empty and potentially runs counter to the pursuit of world peace. Rising expectations that are not met with tangible progress may increase, not decrease the propensity for violence.
Finally, we must recognize the adage that peace begins with me- with you- with the community, with all mankind. Obama recognizes the shared responsibility of all nations and individuals in the Age of the Great Turning were mankind will either- unite and transform violence and exploitation to peace, responsibility and community- or will perish.
LJG100 -- Please list some tangible actions( not words) he has done to create peace.
Ditto. All I have heard is empty, obfuscated, rhetoric.
Hey LJG100, you'd make a great presidential speech writer! The job requires your kind of fertile imagination.
Fetile imagination--to turn out one cliche after another and finish with the word, perish, from what, 1864?
Give us a fucking break from this pap.
Ever heard of irony?
I write here all the time; you should know better.
Doesn't mean I read what you write.
Not being a gringo, I can read what the fuck I want and I don't color inside the lines, either.
Yes Virginia the world is run by crazy people. Next stop being crowned King of the NWO. WTF he hasn't done anything, and he has a democratic majority. Then I remembered Kissinger was given a Peace Prize, and that evil mass murderer still runs the halls of power...What a messed up monkey world!
Silence is Consent.
Seems the nobel committee have been spending far too much time in the chemistry labs sniffing their experiments to bestow upon one who not only has continued the american 'globalization' but is escalating it with the assurance of MORE civilian casualties and now I expect the nobel prize in economics to go to geithner, summers and bernanke.
But as mentioned, kissinger the nazi thug, was given the same prize and he has blood up to the top of his head for his contributions to 'peace' on this planet, really kind of makes one to want to vomit.
So, wouldn't be a sure sign of a 'global' insanity to give away oxymoronic awards to the evil that men do or the men that evil do?