Email List
Most Popular This Week
- Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever
- Study: Monsanto's Roundup Herbicide Linked to Cancer, Autism, Parkinson's
- Picture of the Week
- 'The Gilded Age' Statistics Corporations Don't Want Workers, or Anyone, to See
- Bradley Manning is Off Limits at SF Gay Pride Parade, but Corporate Sleaze is Embraced
- Study: Monsanto's Roundup Herbicide Linked to Cancer, Autism, Parkinson's
- Everything Is Rigged: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever
- Report: Toxic Chemicals Found in Thousands of Children's Products
- The Life and Death of Words, People, and Even Nature
- You and Your Family Are Guinea Pigs for the Chemical Corporations
Popular content
Today's Top News
Published on Friday, October 9, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
Nobel Committee, Strategic as Ever, Taps Obama for Peace Prize
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2009
Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama.
Some initial commentary has called the award unprecedented and wondered why the committee would give President Obama the award when he "hasn't done anything yet."
But anyone who thinks this award is unprecedented hasn't been paying attention.
The Nobel Committee gave South African Bishop Desmond Tutu the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his leadership of efforts to abolish apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid wasn't fully abolished in South Africa until 1994. The committee could have waited until after apartheid was abolished to say, "Well done!" But the point of the award was to help bring down apartheid by strengthening Bishop Tutu's efforts. In particular, everyone knew that it was going to be much harder for the apartheid regime to crack down on Tutu after the Nobel Committee wrapped him in its protective cloak of world praise.
That's what the Nobel Committee is trying to do for Obama now. It's giving an award to encourage the change in world relations that Obama has promised, and to try to help shield Obama against his domestic adversaries. The committee is well aware that history is contingent and that Obama might fail. It knows very well that the same country that elected Obama also gave the world George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
The initial steps that Obama has taken are already under fierce attack. The Obama Administration has now recognized that the Afghan Taliban are not a threat to the United States and that the United States can live with the Afghan Taliban playing a role in the government of Afghanistan. But right-wing forces in the military, Congress, think thanks and the media are denouncing these moves towards sanity as surrender. They want a full-out Vietnam against the Taliban.
The Obama Administration has begun its promised diplomatic engagement with Iran. Of course, as every honest person knew, real engagement meant de-emphasizing the unachievable demand that Iran end its enrichment of uranium and instead focusing on achievable demands like opening Iranian enrichment facilities more fully to UN inspections and greater international oversight over the enriched uranium that Iran has already produced. Here also, the "endless war" right-wing is trying to undermine Obama.
In giving this award, the Nobel Committee is telling these right-wing forces to back off. And it's sending a message of encouragement to those Americans who put Obama in office:
Some initial commentary has called the award unprecedented and wondered why the committee would give President Obama the award when he "hasn't done anything yet."
But anyone who thinks this award is unprecedented hasn't been paying attention.
The Nobel Committee gave South African Bishop Desmond Tutu the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his leadership of efforts to abolish apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid wasn't fully abolished in South Africa until 1994. The committee could have waited until after apartheid was abolished to say, "Well done!" But the point of the award was to help bring down apartheid by strengthening Bishop Tutu's efforts. In particular, everyone knew that it was going to be much harder for the apartheid regime to crack down on Tutu after the Nobel Committee wrapped him in its protective cloak of world praise.
That's what the Nobel Committee is trying to do for Obama now. It's giving an award to encourage the change in world relations that Obama has promised, and to try to help shield Obama against his domestic adversaries. The committee is well aware that history is contingent and that Obama might fail. It knows very well that the same country that elected Obama also gave the world George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
The initial steps that Obama has taken are already under fierce attack. The Obama Administration has now recognized that the Afghan Taliban are not a threat to the United States and that the United States can live with the Afghan Taliban playing a role in the government of Afghanistan. But right-wing forces in the military, Congress, think thanks and the media are denouncing these moves towards sanity as surrender. They want a full-out Vietnam against the Taliban.
The Obama Administration has begun its promised diplomatic engagement with Iran. Of course, as every honest person knew, real engagement meant de-emphasizing the unachievable demand that Iran end its enrichment of uranium and instead focusing on achievable demands like opening Iranian enrichment facilities more fully to UN inspections and greater international oversight over the enriched uranium that Iran has already produced. Here also, the "endless war" right-wing is trying to undermine Obama.
In giving this award, the Nobel Committee is telling these right-wing forces to back off. And it's sending a message of encouragement to those Americans who put Obama in office:
"Showing signs of significant improvement. Keep up the good work."
Comments are closed
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
60 Comments so far
Show AllThis is an affirmative action award. Obama is an empty suit. But I suppose he is in good company with the likes of Obama. Whatever.
You must be RedState's Erick Erickson's alias, he said the exact same thing. Congrats.
It is predictable that they would respond that way.
Obama did nothing to deserve it.
In fact with the wind behind him in every respect, the presidency, the congress, the goodwill of the world, following the worst US president in history, Obama has managed to squander the opportunity and appear as if he isn't up to the task. Just what African-Americans need, another Condi Rice or Clarence Thomas.
What do you think they would think? The only difference is they don't see Condi Rice or Clarence Thomas as AA recepients because they are faithful servants to the Right. Because Obama represents the Democrats, the Republicans will always attack him--even when he is a faithful servant to the Right--and that insulates him from proper scrutiny from Democrats who view it all through a partisan lens.
Good post Vern
right on! this is not for the last six months. this is a prize to prod him to do good deeds. he is the most powerful man on earth. this is about helping him not to forget that the next 8 years could truly change the world.
from day one, rahm, summers, and hillary have been force-feeding obama that supporting thugs, thieves, usurers, and usurpers --both domestic and foreign-- is the only way, as well as reminding him relentlessly that the "contributions" of such people mean death or life for any presidency.
the rest of the world --us-- we have one only our fading voices. the nobel committee has seen that and decided to add its little, highly symbolic prodding. let's add pour voices to denounce and harass obama's team of venal sell-outs and satraps and let's prod obama and the few decent democrats with power to side more and more with the non-predatory common people of the usa and of the world.
That's how I see it, erplus.
This Nobel Peace Prize award to Obama is incredible news. Fact is, I thought it was snark when I first spotted it. Appropriate for The Onion.
Other presidents have dreamed of this recognition and distinction, and his predecessor falsely claimed that he had "political capital" after he squeaked out victory in the rigged 2004 election.
This is the leverage that O needs to pursue peaceful ends to our senseless wars in the Middle East, if he wants.
And this will help his domestic agenda and our pursuit of affordable health care for everyone, if he wants.
And what of justice for the war criminals from the previous administration who have made him look so saintly by comparison? He can prosecute for the benefit of the rule of law, if he wants.
We'll see what comes of this "prodding."
Actually, according to the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel has been on the side of those in the Administration arguing against military escalation in Afghanistan:
"Top White House officials, led by Vice President Joe Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, are increasingly leery of a major expansion of U.S. troop presence. They paint the current debate as a crucial moment, similar to the final months of the Kennedy administration and the opening months of Lyndon Johnson's administration, when both presidents faced the choice of doubling down in Vietnam or rethinking strategy there."
- War Debate Addresses Taliban Ties To al Qaeda, OCTOBER 5, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125448203426459131.html
"The first book describes a White House in 1965 being marched into an escalating war by a military viewing the conflict too narrowly to see the perils ahead. President Barack Obama recently finished the book, according to administration officials, and Vice President Joe Biden is reading it now.
...
'Lessons in Disaster' entered West Wing circulation after Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, one of the top foreign-policy voices in the White House, gave it to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel after reading it himself.
Mr. Emanuel read the book in a weekend, then showed it to the president, who was already working on his own copy. Instead, Mr. Emanuel gave his copy to senior White House adviser David Axelrod, according to an administration official familiar with the book's path."
- Behind Afghan War Debate, a Battle of Two Books Rages, OCTOBER 7, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125487333320069331.html
Robert Naiman:
Obama and Rahm have to read a book to figure out causing the suffering and killing of innocent people in Afghanistan is the wrong choice?
"'Lessons in Disaster'"?
"According to the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel has been on the side of those in the Administration arguing against military escalation in Afghanistan"?
"Emanuel read the book in a weekend, then showed it to the president, who was already working on his own copy"?
This is hollow rhetoric and dumbing-down propaganda to placate the people into believing they want to get out of Afghanistan.
Obama, Rahm and regime fully intend to build that pipeline.
Please do YOUR homework and it does not take "reading a book in a weekend, like that speed reader, Rahm did, to determine the agenda of this administration.
Maybe Rahm wants Obama to pull back on AfPak so we can start bombing EyeRan.
Most likely because Emanuel represents interests preferring to pump up war against Iran as opposed to Afghanistan.
And I hope it isn't quick reads that they depend on to determine policy. It isn't reassuring that they can't figure this out for themselves.
Naiman 10:22 Who besides Hillary and Obama pressured Abbas too suppress the Goldstone Report?
Could it be Rahm son of Irgun?
And who except the great Peacemaker demonized Iran in his acceptance speech today?
And do you really believe the 80% civilian kill rates of Drones (as supported by Biden) is a peaceful or intelligent alternative to 10,000's more troops?
"And do you really believe the 80% civilian kill rates of Drones (as supported by Biden) is a peaceful or intelligent alternative to 10,000's more troops?"
Considering the COIN strategy McChrystal wants to carry out reportedly involves murdering entire villages to declare them cleared out like in Vietnam and during the "surge" in Baghdad, maybe, just maybe.
Hmmm. Nope, this is about global slavemasters who want to sell their product.
Anyone can come up with any sort of rationale to support something as ridiculous as this.
In a few months, perhaps even weeks, I wonder if Mr. Naiman will be eating crow, with humble pie for dessert?
Mr. Naiman, like other dead-ender supporters of anything Obama does or whatever praise he gets, won't be eating that crow or humble pie. He and they will only, as they have so many times in the past, come up with ever-new excuses for his unexcusable behavior and more justifications for the people of America and the world to continue their support for him and their bedazzlements with his exploits.
OK. I want to know how much Robert Naiman got paid for writing this swill.
"In giving this award, the Nobel Committee is telling these right-wing forces to back off."
What a load of crap, so i guess giving it to Kissinger was to ward off the left-wing forces... It's like being stuck in 1984 in Lala-land where doublespeak is the official language...
Obama winning the Nobel "Peace" Prize is a huge slap in the face to former recipients and an opportunistic ploy by the Nobel Committee.
This is a sad day for the world.
I don't know whether to scream from the rooftops that I am "mad as hell" or hide in the closet.
Hearing this news literally brought tears to my eyes.
Tears of anger that the people of the U.S. elected this fraud, tears of shame in the face of the rest of the world, and tears for all the people in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries where we continue to cause suffering and death.
This story surely must be satirical. This is reminiscent of the song that the British played when they surrendered at Yorktown during the American Revolution-The Whole World Turned Upside Down. The Nobel Committee may wish to ask the people in Afghanistan whose families were slaughtered because Obama, the alleged peacemaker, ordered 500 lb. and 2000 lb. bombs to be dropped upon innocent civilians, if Obama should be thought of as a man of peace. The Nobel committee may wish to inquire of the many Pakistanis whose families have been torn to pieces by drone missiles which were flown in under Obama's orders if they agree with their selection. It is doubtful if the Iraqis, whose country is still occupied by American soldiers and civilian contractors, believe that Obama somehow deserves this honor.
Perhaps this choice of Obama for the Noble Peace Prize is an early Halloween joke. If so, the joke apparently is on the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iraq.
I don't know what criteria was used by the Nobel Committee to award this Peace Prize to Obama.
All I know is that it's really, really been fun to watch the heads, of the Right Wing Bloggers, explode over the news.
Even here.
This forum has become filled with "glass-half-empty" people with a total lack of understanding how politics in American works. Too many posters on CD are, or have become, Obama haters.
I'm no Obama apologist, I don't agree with everything he's done and or the pace he's moving, but give me a break. I still believe he wants to do whats right for America, domestically and abroad. And this article simply positions that the award was giving to him to help nudge him in the direction he promised throughout the campaign by giving him international backing and credibility. I'm happy for him and glad he got the award.
I think most of you would be more comfortable visiting a conspiracy theory based website. You'll have more fun and find people just as cynical as you.
I believe you have taken a few too many uppercuts.
Upon what do you base your belief that "he wants to do whats (sic) right for America, domestically and abroad?" Evidence to me would be, for instance: removing the troops from Iraq and Afghanistan (as most Americans in our democracy want); supporting single-payer health care (as most Americans want); and/or stopping the wanton killing of innocents through unlawful drone attacks. Based on the known facts, Obama is a war criminal.
I'm not cynical, I'm just logical. Those of us who are critical of the President are presenting facts. I think we are very well-placed in this forum.
Get back to us in three years and tell us if you still believe in Santa.
"Too many posters on CD are, or have become, Obama haters."
And for good reason, "Uppercut".
The guy is a fake and a murderer.
He's completely lied about everything he stood for. Every stinking thing.
They might as well given the prize to George W. Bush.
We all have a "common dream" here at CD, and that is for peace, not warmongering or those that support it.
Perhaps it is you that should take a hike -- a long one.
You're quite wrong, and your primitive and puerile shtick doesn't constitute an analysis.
It's simply a projection of a shallow and superficial pop-culture philosophy and political junk-science.
In lieu of wasting time and effort expanding on this critique, I'll only say that even if the Nobel crowd has the... noble intentions attributed to them by the author, it doesn't excuse this travesty.
The Nobel hacks need to create "Prewards" if they believe that their "award" functions as a sort of "vote of confidence" that its recipient deserves it, as distinct from actual worthy accomplishments.
Or the award should have been explicitly designated as the Consolation Prize for Obama's failed bid for the Chicago Olympics.
ยท Yr Obd't Servant
Following the logic in this article and in the decision itself, Obama should also be awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics.
Mainly because no one has recently done more to ensure and reinforce the War economy, which, we all know, is the economic system which is growing faster than any other.
Housing is down.
Agriculture is failing to meet the demands.
Fuel is increasingly difficult to acquire.
Financial systems are unsteady and unreliable.
War (and "security") must be the "new" basis of economies.
BRILLIANT!
Well, the strategy worked for T. Roosevelt, who said something along the lines of: "I have seen the light-so to speak-on self-determination in Latin America. I would like to apologize for my previous stances on the United States' racially-based entitlement to spheres of influence in those savage aboriginal jungles, out of respect for the Nobel Committee and out of fear that one day we might be encouraging wars against the poor in Central America and torturing other undeserving brown-skinned people at our occupation in Cuba."
The Nobel Committee is also heading up talks to deliver to Obama a region of Afghanistan (called Sudetenistan or something) in hopes that it will encourage him to not send 40,000 more soldiers to the area.
I have no problem with awarding effort with the Peace Prize, given that peace is difficult to accomplish. But how much effort has Obama made? Not much, not for long, without any sacrifice. This is really the "He's not Bush" prize, which should be considered common decency, not the pinnacle of ethics and humanism. The comparison with Desmond Tutu does not help the case for Obama.
And WHY again, must our leaders Be FORCED by their followers to simply do what is righ ... er, CORRECT?
The difference being Tutu's efforts were genuine --even if the goal, when he was awarded the Noble, hadn't yet been achieved. Obama may speak the rhetoric but his actions betray his words and that is why this is so offensive to those who put stock in the outcome of the issues--not the politically correct speech-making as window-dressing betrayed by real world actions.
You're absolutely correct.
Vern
Well said.
//
everyone knew that it was going to be much harder for the apartheid regime to crack down on Tutu after the Nobel Committee wrapped him in its protective cloak of world praise.
//
Obama had a 'protective cloak of world praise' until he lost it, because of his lack of action.
Obama is the president of the country that is bombing innocent people in 3 countries.
Obama is the president of the country that spends twice more on its military than all the other countries combined.
Obama is the president of the country that regularly threatens Iran with war.
Despite his sweet talk, Obama is very much a 'war president'. In my opinion:
'war president' + 'famous peace prize' = WAR IS PEACE.
The message is: We live in 1984.
"The Nobel Committee gave South African Bishop Desmond Tutu the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his leadership of efforts to abolish apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid wasn't fully abolished in South Africa until 1994."
Nobody is suggesting that the committee wait until world peace (or a similar 1994 trigger) to give Obama the prize. The difference between Obama and Tutu is that Tutu spent years fighting apartheid, organizing people, encouraging divestment... prior to getting the award in 1984. Obama has given a few speeches but hasn't followed through on his rhetoric.
As noted by many, Obama is no plans to leave Afghanistan and may increase troops, is adding bases in Columbia, was silent to the bombing of Gaza prior to his presidency but after he was elected, has allowed Israel to continue its ethnic cleansing with US money and veto support, is still trying to put some time of military radar/missle protection system in Europe, is making Iran out to be more of a threat than it is (like Bush did with Iraq)...
From an email this morning from Gary Ruskin at www.greenchange.org:
This morning, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Nobel Committee said.
Why?
Did Obama bring peace to Iraq?
No. He continues to station 124,000 U.S. troops there, with tens of thousands deployed perhaps indefinitely.
Did he bring peace to Afghanistan?
No. He has escalated the war there, and is part responsible for the scores of civilian deaths that have occurred there. He has done this despite that most Americans now believe the Afghan war is "not worth fighting."
Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee said in an interview that "Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics." Has Obama done anything singular to stop the worldwide crisis of climate change?
No. He has spent little or no political capital on the climate crisis, and still refuses to publicly commit the U.S. to strong actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Jagland said that "The Nobel Committee has in particular looked at Obama's vision and work toward a world without atomic weapons." But on this issue, Obama is merely implementing the ideas of the more conservative foreign policy minds of our nation, including Henry Kissinger.
Did he beat the swords of the giant U.S. defense budget into plowshares of peace?
No. In fact, he will soon approve the largest defense bill in our nation's history.
Has he brought home the troops scattered across the world stationed to maintain our empire?
No.
Has he stopped our nation's scandalous weapons trade?
No. The U.S. has expanded its weapons trade. We now supply 2/3rds of the world's foreign armaments.
Did Obama sign the cluster munitions treaty to ban cluster bombs, because 98% of cluster bomb casualties are children?
No. The U.S. has not signed the cluster munitions treaty.
Has Obama brought home the army of mercenaries we have stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan?
No. He has expanded the ranks of these mercenaries to 250,000.
There are millions of people across our world who spend their blood and sweat every day for peace -- real peace. Each and every one of them deserves the Nobel Peace Prize far more than Barack Obama.
The "Nobel Peace Prize" is a sick joke. Only people of upper economic class even qualify. The rest of us working/lower/middle class people can only dream of it. Think of the NPP as a "scooby snack" in the wrong direction. I explain this in a separate post on this thread.
I think you're right about the Nobel, Maxpayne. I never realized it before now.
Detecting class based discrimination can be tricky. Part of the problem is that even people who are part of the afflicted class(es) still resign themselves to praising anyone in the upper class getting some big prize that NPP. Today at my work place was a perfect example. Most people were praising Obama like nothing. I tried to stay away from it but I couldn't stop them from teasing me after they made me admit that I didn't support Obama receiving the peace prize. Sometimes, the Obama worshippers are like a noose around my neck ! Thankfully, no one dared called me a racist.
Bliss all points are correct -------- one important point missing, the suppression of the Goldstone report and the suppression of any Prosecution of USA war criminals.
Well put! Great list. Excellent comment!!
Please note, at the top of the comment, I was careful to credit Gary Ruskin, a co-founder of greenchange.org. The whole thing was in an email from him to subscribers this morning. I thought it was wonderfully thorough too.
Thx
I saw it.
And thanks for posting it!
There should be two Nobel Peace Prizes.
One for actually doing something for the cause of peace.
And the award for Obama: try harder, rookie.
Obama wins The Nobel Piece Prize for being a major piece of the jigsaw puzzle of hopeless political corruption in the United States.
Think of the "Nobel Peace Prize" being given to Obama as a "Scooby Snack". Remember Scooby Doo? The team would ask him if he'd do his job for a scooby snack. He says "uh huh", eats his scooby snacks, and Scooby goes wild. But let's get back to the real world. Obama will simply fake peace and he's not politically dumb but a political crook with his "Nobel Peace Prize". It sucks but just like economic matters, foreign policy matters are treated like cartoons !
RichM
Intelligently and persuasively well stated.
What you said!
It's a cloak to encourage him to do more of the same!
Give it to Cindy Sheehan!