ABC News: Year After Obama Won Nobel, World Looks for Signs of Peace

[morris84]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/year-obama-wins-nobel-world-signs-peace/story?id=11825176

One year after the Nobel prize jury made its controversial decision to award President Obama the prize for world peace, a larger jury is still waiting for the president to live up to those lofty expectations.

Even some of Obama's allies -- like former Nobel laureates Al Gore and Jimmy Carter -- declined to assess his performance in fulfilling what the peace prize citation said was his "vision" of world harmony.

The one year anniversary of Obama's prize comes as fighting is escalating in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq continues to smolder and Obama struggles to keep fledgling Middle East peace talks from collapsing. Drones are firing missiles in unprecedened numbers and confrontations with Iran and North Korea are hotter than ever.

more at link

There is not much more to say other then it is pretty strange that a person would receive an award with "Peace" as it's main focus, when that person has been involved with and created the exact opposite conditions in the world; sending military forces to Afghanistan for example.

[Bang]

Who cares.

Can anyone tell me what the hell this actually means in the real world?

There has NEVER been peace on this planet.

Never.

Well, at least as long as humans have existed.

So what, So a bunch of self gratifying people gave Obama a prize for peace with the name of th guy who invented DYNAMITE on it.

Can we humans focus on REAL things please?

Honestly, the things we get so wrapped up in,,, the only thing at stake here is a comepletely superficial bit of 'status'... a menaingless title.

and the people who REALLY are in need of peace?

Those who live in the MULTITUDE of war zones? Does anyone really think they give a rats ass about a bunch of pointless bits of applause and a meaningless 'honor', and all the political bull**** that comes along with it?

Who gives a **** what anyone thinks about Obama "winning" it.

It has about as much effect on the real world as Carrot Top being given an honorary degree from WhoGivesa**** University.

~Bang

[morris84]

Who cares.

Can anyone tell me what the hell this actually means in the real world?

There has NEVER been peace on this planet.

Never.

Well, at least as long as humans have existed.

So what, So a bunch of self gratifying people gave Obama a prize for peace with the name of th guy who invented DYNAMITE on it.

Can we humans focus on REAL things please?

Honestly, the things we get so wrapped up in,,, the only thing at stake here is a comepletely superficial bit of 'status'... a menaingless title.

and the people who REALLY are in need of peace?

Those who live in the MULTITUDE of war zones? Does anyone really think they give a rats ass about a bunch of pointless bits of applause and a meaningless 'honor', and all the political bull**** that comes along with it?

Who gives a **** what anyone thinks about Obama "winning" it.

It has about as much effect on the real world as Carrot Top being given an honorary degree from WhoGivesaCrap University.

~Bang

You're right; it's a pretty meaningless award to receive, especially when the winner of it can be responsible for sending people to other countries to kill other people.

[Bang]

You're right; it's a pretty meaningless award to receive, especially when the winner of it can be responsible for sending people to other countries to kill other people.

How can you say I'm right and then in the same sentence act like the morons i'm criticizing?

focus on the real world. And it's not through some stupid 'award'

Do you know who won the Calavaras County bubble gum blowing contest last year?

I mean, since you're keeping such track of meaningless awards and all..

~Bang

[morris84]

How can you say I'm right and then in the same sentence act like the morons i'm criticizing?

focus on the real world. And it's not through some stupid 'award'

Do you know who won the Calavaras County bubble gum blowing contest last year?

I mean, since you're keeping such track of meaningless awards and all..

~Bang

Drop the arrogant and combative tone and maybe I'll continue this conversation with you.

[Corcaigh]

There is not much more to say other then it is pretty strange that a person would receive an award with "Peace" as it's main focus, when that person has been involved with and created the exact opposite conditions in the world; sending military forces to Afghanistan for example.

Those making the award might disagree. The motives of those making the award were pretty clear. It was given for the promise of a return by the US to multilateralism and diplomacy. Yes, war is being waged in Afghanistan but it is supported by many countries around the world against an agreed threat, unlike the fiasco that was Iraq.

[morris84]

Those making the award might disagree. The motives of those making the award were pretty clear. It was given for the promise of a return by the US to multilateralism and diplomacy. Yes, war is being waged in Afghanistan but it is supported by many countries around the world against an agreed threat, unlike the fiasco that was Iraq.

It's support by other people doesn't change the fact that he and those that support the military force in Afghanistan are supporting the killing of other human beings. Is this a part of his strategy to dissarm the world of nuclear weapons? That is one of the other reasons why Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize.

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html

[TheGoodBits]

Clearly being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was a mandate that Obama should drop everything, withdraw all our troops, and abandon our decade long war in Afghanistan. Anything less and he's unworthy, right?

[morris84]

Clearly being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was a mandate that Obama should drop everything, withdraw all our troops, and abandon our decade long war in Afghanistan. Anything less and he's unworthy, right?

You can't quote me saying anything remotely close to what you just implied. You are putting words in my mouth.

Recieving the award is simply a contradiction to what he has actually achieved while in office. That is all I have pointed out.

[TheGoodBits]

You can't quote me saying anything remotely close to what you just implied. You are putting words in my mouth.

Recieving the award is simply a contradiction to what he has actually achieved while in office. That is all I have pointed out.

I don't think he put his name in for the award, nor do I think the actions of a sitting President should revolve around being eligible for, or living up to the standards of, the NPP. National security and any ongoing war effort should obviously take precedence.

[Corcaigh]

Recieving the award is simply a contradiction to what he has actually achieved while in office. That is all I have pointed out.

Multilateralism and continued decommissioning of the world's nuclear arsenal are not a contradiction to the award.

[Redskins Diehard]

Clearly being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was a mandate that Obama should drop everything, withdraw all our troops, and abandon our decade long war in Afghanistan. Anything less and he's unworthy, right?

Or just not oversee a massive expansion of the drone war?

And no, it certainly isn't a "mandate" to do anything. But I would think that the award does not fit nicely with someone that maintains a secret kill list for people that fit a secret profile.

---------- Post added December-2nd-2012 at 07:15 PM ----------

Multilateralism and continued decommissioning of the world's nuclear arsenal are not a contradiction to the award.

And if that was all that was on his resume.

[Corcaigh]

It's support by other people doesn't change the fact that he and those that support the military force in Afghanistan are supporting the killing of other human beings.

The award talked about multilateralism and decommissioning of nuclear weapons. Both have made progress under his watch.

Of all the things you want attack the POTUS over, the receipt of an award by a largely irrelevant committee of publicity seeking Scandinavians is what is important to you?

[morris84]

Multilateralism and continued decommissioning of the world's nuclear arsenal are not a contradiction to the award.

That's debateable. Is Obama in favor of decommissioning the nuclear arsenal of the United States government as well? It doesn't appear as though it was very specific of who would be rid of their arms; it just said "the world."

[TheGoodBits]

I don't know who else was considered the year Obama won and I don't know if anyone else was more deserving.

I suspect the reason he won was a collective hope internationally that the US would return as an active member of the international community, rather than being such a Bush-era cowboy in terms of diplomacy. And I think while Obama's achievements in office haven't necessarily warranted a NPP, he has largely achieved the goal of returning the US to the top of the international community from a diplomatic standpoint.

[Corcaigh]

And if that was all that was on his resume.

I'm sure the Nobel Committee can come and collect their award any ****ing time they want then. Along with those awarded to Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin and others. At no time in history has it been a requirement to win the Nobel Peace Prize that you are a sworn pacifist.

---------- Post added December-2nd-2012 at 07:22 PM ----------

That's debateable. Is Obama in favor of decommissioning the nuclear arsenal of the United States government as well? It doesn't appear as though it was very specific of who would be rid of their arms; it just said "the world."

Massive reduction, at least.

[morris84]

I don't know who else was considered the year Obama won and I don't know if anyone else was more deserving.

I suspect the reason he won was a collective hope internationally that the US would return as an active member of the international community, rather than being such a Bush-era cowboy in terms of diplomacy. And I think while Obama's achievements in office haven't necessarily warranted a NPP, he has largely achieved the goal of returning the US to the top of the international community from a diplomatic standpoint.

I really can't argue with your assessment here. In the end, I just find the award very silly and back to the point of the OP, I do not believe that Obama is showing any signs to helping move the world towards "peace," again, considering the fact that he is in favor of continuing to send the military to Afghanistan, for example.

[TheGoodBits]

I really can't argue with your assessment here. In the end, I just find the award very silly and back to the point of the OP, I do not believe that Obama is showing any signs to helping move the world towards "peace," again, considering the fact that he is in favor of continuing to send the military to Afghanistan, for example.

While acknowledging his plan for a drawdown in the coming years is at least a step in the right direction, yes?

[Burgold]

I really can't argue with your assessment here. In the end, I just find the award very silly and back to the point of the OP, I do not believe that Obama is showing any signs to helping move the world towards "peace," again, considering the fact that he is in favor of continuing to send the military to Afghanistan, for example.

I think if we go back in time you'll find that President Obama himself questioned and doubted whether he merited receiving the award. It was clear to most that he didn't do it and he was probably awarded it because much of the world (including the US at the time) just felt that high degree of antagonism against Bush's policies.

There was hope as to who Obama would be, but for those who honestly listened with the ears and not their hearts Obama did exactly what he promised in '08. Wind down Iraq and ramp up Afghanistan.

[morris84]

While acknowledging his plan for a drawdown in the coming years is at least a step in the right direction, yes?

I'm more interested in what he actually does then what he says he will do.

[Corcaigh]

I really can't argue with your assessment here. In the end, I just find the award very silly and back to the point of the OP, I do not believe that Obama is showing any signs to helping move the world towards "peace," again, considering the fact that he is in favor of continuing to send the military to Afghanistan, for example.

If Al Qaeda and the Taliban are a threat, should Obama just ignore it?

If his actions on stopping nuclear proliferation and promoting multilateralism are seen as positive by the world community, can they acknowledge it?

[Redskins Diehard]

I'm sure the Nobel Committee can come and collect their award any ****ing time they want then. Along with those awarded to Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin and others. At no time in history has it been a requirement to win the Nobel Peace Prize that you are a sworn pacifist.

Well I don't think President Obama is as non-peaceful as all those folks you listed out. But does probably fall closer on that end of the scale of past winners than the end with Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Sworn pacifist...good one.

[morris84]

If Al Qaeda and the Taliban are a threat, should Obama just ignore it?

If his actions on stopping nuclear proliferation and promoting multilateralism are seen as positive by the world community, can they acknowledge it?

Obama should reassess his approach and even question the legitimacy of it. Since the "War On Terror", millions of people have died due to the US government's involvement in the Middle East.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terror#Casualties

[nonniey]

Clearly being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize was a mandate that Obama should drop everything, withdraw all our troops, and abandon our decade long war in Afghanistan. Anything less and he's unworthy, right?

Unworthy of the Nobel Prize? Of course he is worthy of that prize given the Nobel Peace prize commitees dubious history. Heck if they were in charge of the Heisman he'd have won that too. As Bang pointed out the Nobel peace prize is no real honor anymore (The other Nobels though are worthwhile awards - different commitee).

---------- Post added December-3rd-2012 at 01:54 AM ----------

Obama should reassess his approach and even question the legitimacy of it. Since the "War On Terror", millions of people have died due to the US government's involvement in the Middle East.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terror#Casualties

Millions killed? Why not just say billions, trillions or gazillion badillions?

[Bang]

Drop the arrogant and combative tone and maybe I'll continue this conversation with you.

You mistake my comments for a conversation.

considering that you think this prize is somehow actually important in that it actually influences any one side or another in any conflict to ever do anything.. then you've already indicated the propensity to waste vast amounts of time ninnyning about meaningless junk.

The "prize" is as all prizes and trophies of this sort are.

It's just masturbation.

Oh, look at us. Aren't we civilized, look at what we bestow. Look at the symbolic meaning. Aren't we special in recognizing this with our little claps and some money.

It means nothing, because it affects NOTHING.

You may as well complain about the Oscars.

~Bang