The World woke up on Friday to be greeted with an announcement from the Norwegian Nobel Committee declaring President Barack Obama as the Nobel Peace prize winner. The committee. The first ever Back American President of US was selected out of a total of 205 men and women nominated for the award. And the winner got to know about it the same time as anyone else.
There have been mixed reactions from the international community about this award. Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean Prime Minister , was tipped as a favorite for the 10 million Swedish crowns prize. My guess is Obama beat him to the prize because he (Obama) has served the world with hope for a better future and within the past 9 months, he has strived for nuclear disarmament in Iran. Aside these achievements, Barack has made attempts to bring peace to between Israel and Palestinian regions, in themiddle East. This is of course a herculian task he hope to achieve, and he knows it himself since he has mentioned time and again that these objectives might not even be realised in his lifetime. The point is, he is awarded for giving it a try.
Last year the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, was given the Nobel peace prize for a similar efforts. Ahtisaari for more than three decades made efforts on several continents to resolve international conflicts. Critics who still think he was awarded this prestigious prize because he is Black should think again. After all Morgan in real terms is "blacker" than Obama, so if it were a matter of color then I guess the Zimbabean Prime Minister should be the one on December 12th to take home the 1.4 million dollar sum that comes with award and not Obama. He won it because he deserved it and nothing else.
15 comments:
Obama is an enigmatic figure no doubt am not sure what i will do in his presence but I expected the world acclaimed Nobel Peace Price Committee to have a thicker skin than I do. Their decision to award President Obama is a further testimony to the level of Obama's charisma and his influence on the world.
I think Morgan deserves the award, does the Committee have the slightest idea as to working with a sworn enemy like Mugabe?
Any other US leader would have gotten into a pissing contest with Iran. Obama didnt go that route and that's why I think he deserved that prize.
US @ war with Iran would have been bad for the world at this time. 2 countries with large egos.
Eiissh! ewiase! how can a man continuing foreign occupations be given a 'peace' prize but then come to think of Bush and Blair was nominated in 04 so oh well..
@ John|| Very well said, but I don't think President Mugabi is the standard for the award. Besides we need to reward someone who has contributed to peace in the world and not just national peace. And in that direction Morgan has done little. If Obama doesn't deserve it then Morgan doesn't too!!
@ Mike|| I agree with you on that. Sometimes it is really not about what someone did, but about what someone did not do. Obama has avoided going to war with Iran. And that is a contribution to world peace. Remember Russia and Georgia!!!!
@ Kwadwo|| The US troops need to be there in order to establish some degree of stability especially in areas such as Afghanistan and Iraq. He has however shown that the call that begun this war was a WRONG CALL and certainly too pre-mature. And that is why he is a man of Peace!!
Obama has done nothing! look down the list of Nobel prize laureates and tell me which of them Obama comes close to! This lowers the pedigree of the prize, it is not a popularity contest, any one can talk and "inspire hope" its about achievement. War with Iran? rubbish the fact that a world leader chooses peace over war does not qualify him for a Nobel prize otherwise the French and German leaders deserve prizes for opposing the war in Iraq. Lets be honest he does NOT deserve it he has done nothing...
@ Jeff|| Very nice arguments raised on the Obama issue. To compare Obama to any of the laureates I wouldn't even bother to go far, I will choose (as I mentioned in my post) Martti Ahtisaari the former Finnish President. Although Obama is younger, I believe these two gentlemen plied the same route. I can boldly say, Obama is just as qualified as any other Nobel laureate on the list is.
Great blog Tagoe - just found your comment over at Holli's Ramblings. Thanks!!! I've just become your newest follower.
Please also follow the ramblings!!
Good to find a fellow member of the Ghana Blogging group! :)
@ The Pale Observer|| Thanks a lot for the thumbs up. I will surely follow your blog. I have been there to check out a few posts and I must say I liked what I read!!! spot on
Obama is one reason why the is less tension in the world today!
Iran is responding better to negotiations than during the time of Bush.
Castro has drawn closer to America now than ever before.
for this, he deserves it.
@Jeff,
it depends on what you consider as 'close'.
Obama is unique in his own right.
Kwadwo Ofori-Mensah,
in as much as the US as a country has occupations in Iraq and Aghanistan, to say Obama as a person is continuing foreign occupations is not exactly true.
Obama inerited the Occupations and even before his inheritance he made it clear. and loudly so way back since 2004 at the Dems convention that he was against such occupations.
he has long made it clear that he was for ending the war in Iraq.
let's be fair to the man.
A lot of people are not aware that in fact the nominees of the Nobel Peace Prize are asked if they would accept the nomination right from the start. Therefore Obama was asked this and accepted it in his FIRST WEEK of office, not after 9 months in office. Quite a shock and embarrasement to accept an honour based on nothing. The fact that people believe he inspires hope, well don't all politicians talk big and promise the world.This award belongs to Morgan Tsvangirai, someone worthy of the honour !!
@Charlene,
i don't think that is any revelation at all.
most institutions that set out to give awards to people all over the world normally consult prospective winners!
it's about seeking consent! which is legitimate and gives everyone involved space to breathe good air.
so for Obama to give 'consent' to this award is very okay!
you claim, all politicians talk big????????? did Merkel talk that 'big' before being elected????????? did Putin talk that 'big' before being elected???? did Sarkozy talk that 'big' about world peace???? the Iraq war??? the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons???? the fact that world leaders must engage each other like Obama is doing so that the likes of Castro are softening their stance and making attempts to come to the middle???????????????
as for Tsangarai, i could easily disagree with you compared to the 'impact' of Obama on world peace! the fact that he has leading a massive shift from the Bush era that is making people even forget Bush!!!
Tsvangirai, had all sorts of problems with being sincere!! you are talking about a man who thinks the only way to achieve peace is to have 'power-sharing' right????????? that he must share in the 'control' of affairs right????????????? what is the point there???????????? i wouldn't give it to him one minute!
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