Flying Pink Unicorns

Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Huh? I'm a bit tardy, but better late than never.

This announcement had me scratching my head from the instant I heard about it.


According to the Nobel web page, "Since World War II, the Peace Prize has principally been awarded to honour efforts in four main areas: arms control and disarmament, peace negotiation, democracy and human rights, and work aimed at creating a better organized and more peaceful world."


http://nobelpeaceprize.org/en_GB/about_peaceprize/history/


Well, although it does say "efforts" rather than "results," what special efforts has Obama made? Talks with North Korea and Iran? Whoopee. A return to American engagement after the Cowboy diplomacy of the Bush years, particularly the first term? Worthy of a pat on the back, but a Nobel Peace Prize?



At least for me, one should have tangible ACHIEVEMENTS in areas involving peace and human rights before receiving probably the most prestigious award in the world. Starting the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians in the early 1990s DID qualify in my view, even though it didn't work out. At least there was a tangible accomplishment, substantive talks where there were none before with a clear possible path towards the resolution of one of the world's more intractable conflicts. But talks with Iran having just begun, following years of talks with the Europeans? Worthy of note, perhaps, but a Nobel? In short, whatever ones views of Obama, he has only been in office 9 months, and on the international front has nothing tangible whatsoever to show for it. Now that's not a damning indictment or anything, but we're talking about the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE here.


Oh, and while we're on the subject of PEACE, he's only very slowly winding down our 100,000 troop commitment in Iraq. What are we accomplishing there for regional, or even local peace? Don't know. And he's considering a troop buildup in Afghanistan, which will more likely than not lead to years of inconclusive war, civilian casualties, and all without Afghanistan being a viable nation state under a stable government at the end of this process. Now perhaps this can be defended, but we're talking about a NOBEL PEACE PRIZE here.

Look, I've predicted that the economy will boom, health care reform will pass and Obama will wind down our wars. Despite a VERY VERY slow start, I'm still at least lukewarm on him, if not a little better. But this award was just silly.

What really happened is that the elites of Europe were just horrified by Team Bush, and are so thrilled to have them replaced by a team that actually wants to talk to Europe and values its opinion, that they threw a wholly undeserved Nobel at him. Its their award to cheapen, I suppose, and they have indeed cheapened it, and not just a little. Nice going peoples.