Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

President Obama awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Nobel committee praised Obama for efforts to "strengthen international diplomacy" Obama is third sitting U.S. president, fourth overall to receive award

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe...ize/index.html

President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, a stunning decision that comes just eight months into his presidency. Less than nine months into his presidency, Barack Obama has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. 1 of 2 The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." The president had not been mentioned as among front-runners for the prize, and the roomful of reporters gasped when Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee, uttered Obama's name. The president, who was awakened to be told he had won, said he was humbled to be selected, according to an administration official. The Nobel committee recognized Obama's efforts to solve complex global problems including working toward a world free of nuclear weapons. "Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said. Jagland said the decision was "unanimous" and came with ease. He rejected the notion that Obama had been recognized prematurely for his efforts and said the committee wanted to promote the president just it had Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 in his efforts to open up the Soviet Union. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population," it said. Obama's recognition comes less than a year after he became the first African-American to win the White House. He is the fourth U.S. president to win the prestigious prize and the third sitting president to do so. Jagland said he hoped the prize would help Obama resolve the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Listen to Jagland explain why Obama was this year's choice » Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, last year's laureate, said it was clear the Nobel committee wanted to encourage Obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage. "I see this as an important encouragement," Ahtisaari said. The committee wanted to be "far more daring" than in recent times and make an impact on global politics, said Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the International Peace Research Institute. And Wangari Muta Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist who won the 2004 Peace Prize, said the win for Obama, whose father was Kenyan, would help Africa move forward. "I think it is extraordinary," she said. "It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way." The award comes at a crucial time for Obama, who has initiated peace missions to key parts of the globe. Obama's envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, has returned to the region to advocate for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Mitchell met Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres. He plans to meet Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before talking with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton starts a six-day trip to Europe and Russia on Friday. On the trip, the secretary will discuss the next steps on Iran and North Korea, and international efforts to have the two countries end their nuclear programs. The centerpiece of the trip will be her visit to Moscow, where she will work toward an agreement to take the place of the Start II arms control pact, which expires December 5. She also will address the new bilateral presidential commission that is working on a broad range of issues, from arms control to health. Mohamed ElBaradei, who won the 2005 peace prize for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy being used for military means, said Obama deserved to win for his efforts to bring Iran to the table for direct nuclear talks with the United States. "I could not think of anybody who is more deserving," said ElBaradei, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Listen to ElBaradei react to the announcement » As the news of Obama's win broke online, postings on social network sites Twitter and Facebook expressed surprise. Many started with the word: Wow. The last sitting U.S. president to win the peace prize was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. The other was Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. Jimmy Carter had been out of office for more than two decades when he won in 2002. This year's Peace Prize nominees included 172 people -- among them three Chinese dissidents, an Afghan activist and a controversial Colombian lawmaker -- and 33 organizations, the highest number of nominations ever. The deadline for nominations must be postmarked by February 1 each year. Obama was inaugurated on January 20. The Nobel recipient receives a prize of about $1.4 million.

I think this is obviously a great achievement to recieve. Actually it's really one of the highest awards you can ever recieve, and congratulations to President Obama.

He has done nothing relevant to deserve the award. However, the hilarious backlash that's going to come from the far right makes it all okay.

It's almost shrewd. Like they are forcing him to live up to it now.

I don't even understand what kind of backasswards we live in today. This man has won a medal for promoting peace. No shit he hasn't done anything yet, the man has only been in office for 8 months. They are awarding him because of his stands on nuclear proliferation and his global power when it comes to the future of society. He even said that he didn't recieve the medal for the things he's done, but for the things he's wanting to do, and wanting others to do.

The repugs simply have gone off the deep end. I've been reading different comments all day, and have been bashed by people I know personally that think his medal is stupid. When the FUCK has anyone EVER been questioned about recieving the Nobel Peace Award? Ever? ..ever? It's simply ludicrous to belittle Obama for winning this award. It's not even like he asked for it...

When the FUCK has anyone EVER been questioned about recieving the Nobel Peace Award? Ever? ..ever?

Yasser Arafat, Jimmy Carter, and Al Gore to name a few.

the man has only been in office for 8 months.

By the end of the year you'll be saying "He's only been in office one year!"
and by the end of the term "vote for him again, he just needed more time!"

To be honest all he's done is talk, just like any other black guy who acts white. Beep.

He hasn't told kids to go to school anymore than cartoon network and nick have been telling, so I say they should get the awards as well.
Also, remember when he said he'd stop the war? It got worse, if I'm not mistaken. Beep. That's all I have to say about that. *prepairs for corrections and insults*

As I've said to others: I like Obama, I voted for him, but this is pretty premature and pretty lolwut.

i dont like obama and this is just outragous

So far it looks like only the Obama fanatic is glad about it...
Beep. Also, for the most part Obama died where I live (which is right next to Chicago!), people no longer have shirts, people consider him to be ...well, exactly what I do - "Nothing special", or to some people "HOPE... we can give up on."
To be, and, no offense, but it honestly seemed a good 30% of his popularity came from his color, no doubt. Now that it's all over, nobody cares. It's "He's president, nothin' whitey can do 'bout it!"
How about you guys? Is Obama still as popular where you live, as when he was running, or elected? So far, I only see the fanatics ever support him anymore. Beep.

He won an award regardless of anyone's opinion.
When good things happen to good people, there are
always bad people who knew all along one of the
many vacuous cases. Have it your way, you win...

He won an award regardless of anyone's opinion. When good things happen to good people, there are always bad people who knew all along one of the many vacuous cases. Have it your way, you win...

My thoughts exactly.
---
Who gives a fuck? When ever, EVER in history has a fucking Nobel Peace Prize been contested? How can anyone be angry over this? If you are angry over anybody, regardless of who it is, if they are praised for their positive outlook on the entire world and you get mad... blatently you are just ignorant.

Who gives a fuck? When ever, EVER in history has a fucking Nobel Peace Prize been contested?

Huh? Someone answered that for you already.

Yes, but when has it ever been relevant? Never.

I'm sure in due time, he'll have earned it, but right now is too early is all in my opinion.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8298690.stm

I'm sure in due time, he'll have earned it, but right now is too early is all in my opinion.

care to expand? What else does this single man have to do. He's been pushing his peace rhetoric down the throats of every single person around him and it's just starting to take pace. Like I said he's only been in office for less than a year now so it takes time to get the ball rolling. His direction is what is was rewarded for. They see Obama as the wave of the future, which is why they are trying to help his momentum.

How many Barack Obamas does it take to change a lightbulb?
Who knows, but if turn to CNN, you can see a nice speech about it... though I doubt he'll change it anytime soon.

He'll deserve it once what he's saying he'll do has been done.

I commend him for trying and I'm sure he'll accomplish what he's set out to do, but until he's actually done what he's setting out to do, he has not earned it.

One should not be awarded for wanting to do something.

He'll deserve it once what he's saying he'll do has been done.

I commend him for trying and I'm sure he'll accomplish what he's set out to do, but until he's actually done what he's setting out to do, he has not earned it.

One should not be awarded for wanting to do something.

He'll deserve it once what he's saying he'll do has been done. I commend him for trying and I'm sure he'll accomplish what he's set out to do, but until he's actually done what he's setting out to do, he has not earned it. One should not be awarded for wanting to do something.

And I can respect that side of it. My point is that they gave it to him not for what he has done, but for what he is wanting to do. Him saying what he is going to do is what earned the peace medal.

At what point would you say he could earn it? Is there an actual milestone to where you think that he would be eligible?