Barack Obama wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

[John Simkin]

US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian committee said in a statement: "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. 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."

The statement from the committee also said "Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play."

[John Simkin]

Quite strange, IMO. The nominations closed just a few weeks into his Administration. I imagine it was a collective sigh of relief to be rid of the the Evil Prince Bush.

Obama has talked the talk; but not walked the walk to earn a Peace Prize yet - and doesn't look like he likely will ...not with those behind the scenes in his Administration [much the same forces running America since the Dallas Coup - and even before.]! This cheapened the Peace Prize to me, but after all, it was only money from dynamite explosives anyway - how ironic! With a larger war in Afghanistan the Nobel Committee may well have egg on their faces very soon.

Obama got the award for "not being George Bush". However, it seems very strange to give the Peace Prize to a man who is responsible for ordering bombing raids that kill civilians in Afghanistan.

[Guest]

"for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"

Whilst this might be over egging it somewhat maybe there is some hope (tempting and strangely comforting though it is to believe like Peter that the world ended in 1963 ).