Does Obama Deserve the Nobel for Peace?

Published in Ziare
(Romania) on 9 October 2009
by Ana Ilie (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Veronica Pascarel. Edited by Robin Silberman.
The world’s most prestigious prize was awarded on Friday to the world’s best known politician – U.S. president Barack Obama. This is where all the superlatives end. No matter how much anyone can admire the first African-American president’s hard work of his nine months into the term, it is hard to define concrete actions that would justify the prize accorded by the Norwegian Committee.

It’s enough to glance at the world’s political map to see that from the 20th of January until now, none of the conflicts (cold or ardent) have been resolved. Just to name a few: North Korea, Transnistria, the two wars led by the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, and so many more. So what is the accomplishment that distinguished Obama to end up nominated among the other 200 candidates?

The Nobel committee’s decision happened for two possible reasons. Number one – that these prizes are made on a purely subjective judgment, and the committee’s members have suffered a sudden love for the American president, as in the case of the entire world.

The explanation offered by the Nobel Committee allows for intimations of such a love: “It has rarely happened for a person to capture the world’s attention and to offer people hope for a better future in the manner that Obama has.” Obama’s charisma is transparent, it vigorously shines everywhere.

The second reason – as in the case of past awards (Yasser Arafat in 1994, along with Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990) – resides in the fact that the prize gets to go to the Oval Office in the hope that Obama’s future pacifying actions will bring peace for the whole world. The distinguishing award is offered now with projections in the future. It could be defined as a long term investment with a high-yield profit in a couple of years.

The Norwegian Committee also offers a justification for such reasoning: “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’s true, as Obama stated in April in Prague, the “America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.” A noble purpose, worthy of a Nobel. Especially that the statement is coming from the leader of the country with the world’s greatest nuclear arsenal.

However, Obama is not the first or the last international leader with the purpose to denuclearize the world.

Many have previously tried to resolve the Iranian nuclear file and to bring peace in the Middle East. Global warming can also be mentioned, as a menace to peace in the world, and as threatening as nuclear arms.

On the other side, Obama was able to open, even if slightly, dialogue with the Muslim world and managed to press for a new tone in international diplomacy. This represents a vast accomplishment for someone that five years ago was an unknown figure with a strange name.

It is sufficient for a Nobel Peace Prize?



Cel mai prestigios premiu al lumii a mers vineri la cel mai cunoscut politician al lumii - presedintele american Barack Obama. Si aici se termina superlativele. Pentru ca, oricat ai admira munca depusa de primul afro-american la Casa Alba in primele noua luni de mandat, e greu sa gasesti actiuni concrete care sa-i justifice premiul acordat de comitetul norvegian.

E suficienta o scurta privire pe harta lumii pentru a vedea ca de la 20 ianuarie incoace, niciunul dintre conflictele (inghetate sau fierbinti) nu s-a rezolvat. Pentru a numi doar cateva la intamplare, Coreea de Nord, Transnistria, cele doua razboaie conduse de americani in Irak si Afganistan, si cate altele. Si atunci unde este realizarea pentru care a fost ales Obama dintre peste 200 de nominalizati?

Sunt doua explicatii posibile pentru decizia comitetului Nobel. Una - ca aceste premii au la baza o judecata pur subiectiva, iar membrii comitetului au suferit o brusca indragostire de presedintele american, la fel ca intreaga lume, de altfel.

Explicatia comitetului Nobel da ceva indicatii in acest sens: "Foarte rar s-a intamplat ca o persoana sa capteze atentia lumii in aceeasi masura ca Obama si sa ofere oamenilor speranta pentru un viitor mai bun". Charisma lui Obama, e limpede, straluceste la fel de puternic peste tot.

A doua explicatie - ca si in cazul altor premii (Yasser Arafat in 1994, alaturi de Shimon Peres si Yitzhak Rabin, Mihail Gorbaciov in 1990) - este ca Nobelul merge in Biroul Oval in speranta ca actiunile pacificatoare viitoare ale lui Obama vor aduce pacea in lume. Este o distinctie acordata acum, in urma unor proiectii de viitor. Ca o investitie in actiuni pe termen lung, care ar urma sa aduca un profit foarte mare peste cativa ani.

Comitetul norvegian ofera o justificare si pentru aceasta varianta: "Diplomatia lui este fondata in conceptul ca aceia care sunt in pozitia de a conduce lumea fac asta pe baza valorilor si atitudinilor care sunt impartasite de majoritatea populatiei lumii".

"Eforturile lui extraordinare de a intari diplomatia internationala si cooperarea intre popoare" i-au adus aceasta distinctie.

E drept, Obama s-a exprimat, in aprilie, la Praga, pentru "angajamentul Americii de a cauta pacea si securitatea unei lumi fara arme nucleare". Un scop nobil, demn de un Nobel. Cu atat mai mult cu cat vine din partea liderului unei tari care detine cel mai mare arsenal nuclear de pe pamant.

Nu este insa nici primul, nici ultimul lider international care isi ia angajamentul de a denucleariza lumea.

Mai mult, au mai incercat si altii sa rezolve dosarul nuclear iranian si sa aduca pacea in Orientul Mijlociu. Ca sa nu mai vorbim de incalzirea climatica, o amenintare la adresa pacii pe pamant la fel de mare ca si armele nucleare.

Pe de alta parte, Obama a reusit sa deschida, desi timid, dialogul cu lumea musulmana si sa preseze pentru un nou ton in diplomatia internationala. Este o mare realizare pentru cineva care in urma cu cinci ani era un necunoscut cu un nume ciudat.

Este insa suficient de mare pentru un Nobel?
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