Nobel Peace Prize: At What Cost?
by Seth MitchellOn Friday, America woke to the shocking news that Barack Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize. While there was universal agreement on both sides of the aisle that our President did not earn this award for any actual accomplishments; some have been trying to spin this as some sort of victory for America; not to mention labeling those of us on the right as terrorists for not celebrating this supposed victory. The truth of the matter is that this award is a slap in the face to America’s history as a strong economic and international leader, and encourages behavior that will only embolden the terrorists with whom we are at war.
The other night, Bill O’Reilly was explaining that this award meant the world would view America as a peace-loving nation. Brent Budowsky, lectured the “talk America down” Republicans for attacking the announcement, saying ”this is good for America.” TIm Kaine claimed that the prize was “an affirmation of the fact that the United States has returned to its longstanding role as a world leader.” America is popular again; may we all celebrate with great enthusiasm. If only there wasn’t that nagging question of what price President Obama has paid in order usher in this era of good will.
In January, most conservatives cheered Barack Obama’s actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he mostly kept President Bush’s policies intact. Unfortunately, this agreement on foreign affairs quickly dissolved, as Obama began his series of apology tours through South America, Egypt and Europe. His administration ignored the corrupt Iranian elections, and gave little to no support to the democracy advocates being killed as they protested in the streets of Tehran. Weeks later, his administration attempted to bully Honduras into reinstating a corrupt president who had attempted his own coup of the country’s democratic government. Then our President left our Eastern European allies in the lurch when he abandoned the missile defense system there as a conciliatory move towards the Russians (for which he received nothing in return). And now we are seeing what may become the beginning of an about face on Afghanistan, as President Obama changes his tune on the Taliban.
It would seem as though the Nobel committee is only congratulating our President for emasculating America’s role as a leader and advocate for democracy. As usual, America’s popularity rises only when we abandon the position of strength which has secured both ourselves and our allies over the past eight years. Rush Limbaugh said it best with these words: “[The world] love[s] a weakened, neutered US, and this is their way of promoting that concept.”
Of course, by taking this stance, Rush and the rest of us have “thrown in [our] lot with the terrorists” according to the DNC. Democrats would rather we blindly cheer as our President wins a popularity contest, while our enemies gather and strengthen their own positions. This last week, America’s status as an economic world leader weakened further as rumors surfaced that the Gulf states were considering abandoning the dollar. At the same time, our President risks emboldening terrorists around the world as he toys with the idea of giving the Taliban any sort of victory in Afghanistan.
So, I’m afraid this moment of triumph for America is anything but. While some may be tempted to smile and wave as our President accepts this award as some sort of victory for our national pride I can’t help but picture a beaming Carrie being crowned the prom queen as a bucket of pig’s blood hovers dangerously above.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Tips & Feedback
36 Comments
I think the EU needs a Nobel Prize Czar.
The fact that he was nominated after only 2 weeks in office clearly implies the award did not have anything to do with his actions but instead was meant to show their (the awards board) hatred for the Bush administration. I fail to see how the President of the United States winning the same award as Yasser Arafat can be "good" for the US. A greater man would refuse it on principal.
I may be stretching a bit here. It's kind of like winning a football game on a bad call. It still counts as a win, it just doesn't feel like one.
I like to watch Bill O'Reilly, but I strongly disagree with him on this one. I think Lynn Cheney's idea about sending a fallen soldier's mother to receive the nobel prize on behalf of our military is an excellent one. I am sure that Obama doesn't think it's a good idea, though. That might actually show a sign of strength, and he wouldn't want to do that now would he?
I think its pretty easy to see why he won it, the author nailed it. Obama represents exactly what the Nobel Norwegians love best about America.
Far leftists who believe America is what's wrong in the world, and every one would get a long fine, if the US just destroyed itself.
In that, they found their soul mate in Obama.
[...] breaking with her party on President Barack Obama’s top legislative priority. Go to Source Nobel Peace Prize: At What Cost? – bighollywood.breitbart.com 10/13/2009 On Friday, America woke to the shocking news that [...]
We can be proud of the Nobel prizes for the real achievements in science and economics. But not the "peace prize". It is a political statement, and I don´t have to like that.
They view Obama as a sort of American Gorbatchev who will end American predominance. The committee does not have the best interests of the US at its heart.
The great David Warren has a few thoughts on that here
http://www.davidwarrenonline.com/index.php?id=105...
and here:
http://www.davidwarrenonline.com/index.php?id=105...
Unfortunately for all of us, reality wins again:
"MOSCOW (AP) — Russia pushed back Tuesday at U.S. efforts to threaten tough new sanctions if Iran fails to prove its nuclear program is peaceful, a setback to the Obama administration's desire to present a united front with Moscow."
I think this whole Nobel debacle has been a great teaching moment for Americans. I bet the vast majority didn't know that the prize was decided by 5 lefty Norwegians appointed by the Norway parliament (even their right wing is left). Once that came out the jokes began (along with about half the newspapers decrying the cheapening of prize now that it has been made into political bauble, which is mostly has been) and I suspect that Obama is wishing he had turned it down (which would have been the far smarter move).
Being criticized is bad enough but being made the butt of jokes is far worse politically.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Ozman. Michael Ozman said: Big Hollywood: Nobel Peace Prize: At What Cost? http://bit.ly/9MgVr #BC [...]
The Nobel wasn't just to affect foreign policy:
Barack Obama Accepts Nobel "PEACEMAKER!" Brand
http://naturalfake.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/presi...
The Nobel was also for their hope of a changed America domestically. Their wish, that one day, all Americans will live in:
BARACK OBAMA'S FAIRY PALACE
http://naturalfake.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/barac...
I'm sort of glad Obama won the Nobel peace prize. Now Bugs Bunny , Porky Pig and Daffy Duck have a shot at it.
They only gave him the award to make us look like fools. They knew his ego would not allow him to refuse it, so it worked.
Meanwhile, the Peace President quiety authorized 15K more troops this morning.
Hmmm. Was Norway watching?
Al Gore and Barack Obama.
I rest my case.
The cost of this will be great to any and all innocent freedom loving people around the world. The costs to Liberals, Progressives, and Democrats will be none. Since the left never accepts responsibility for any of their failed policies or ideas anywhere in the world or at any time, they stand to lose nothing from these situations.
It is always a no-lose scenario for the left. They get to enact whatever ridiculous policies they want and they can never be blamed or held accountable for their monumental failure. That is why Global Warming hysterics are the perfect vehicle in which to deploy Cap and Trade. They can't be proven wrong for centuries and therefore will never have to accept blame or responsibility for the disastrous consequences of enacting such detrimental economic policies. You can easily apply this to any major Progressive policy for the past 100 years and it always holds true. This is also why Obama and his Administration consistently blame the Bush Administration for all the problems they inherited. By saying this so often Obama is asking that you absolve him from solving the problems. Because after all it wasn't his fault.
The President is acknowledged by the country which gave the world Vidkun Quisling. What wonderful lessons in foreign relations the Norwegians have to offer!
My question still stands – How can the Nobel Committee ever justify giving the Peace Prize to someone OTHER than Barak Obama in the years to come?
Good point. I'm sure he'll be bringing us hope and change until he's gone. Even though there won't be any tangible evidence of it. There may be, but from his current policies, he's headed for Jimmy Carterville.
Why not just rename it the Obama Peace Prize.
True, it would hard to fit his ears in the engraving on the medal.
don't forget Jimmy Carter and Yassir Arafat…
nobel pp to obama is the most insane thing–he hasnt even proved he could run this country, except to kiss the bqack end of the "corp" that brought him to DC… the world is getting dumber by the day…. giving him the NPP is like giving a slave owner a bonus because his crop looked better than other plantations in the area
Agreed, except that the "vast majority" still doesn´t know a thing. If it´s true that about half of all Americans didn´t know which party controlled Congress in 2008, and with the media being what they are, you cannot expect the people to have a steep learning curve now.
I think hardcore liberals don´t care much about being liked (are they worried about Obama´s insults against Britain, Israel, India, Poland, Honduras and so on? If they are they hide it well). But they exploit the American desire to be liked, which certainly goes far beyond liberal circles. Americans are generous and tend to think too well of the world.
On the other hand, much of the world does not dislike America, although they cannot escape the influence of their elites. Being anti-American is cost free and a nice fantasy to distract them from dealing with the real problems, which isn´t cost free. If they were truly afraid of the US, they would be quiet. But I cannot repeat often enough that most anti-American stories peddled in Europe are made in the USA, manufactured by our own liberals. Anti-Americanism starts at home.
I was trying to think of a reply, but you pretty much said it.
I will say that hardcore liberals don't care about being liked. Maybe it's because they don't bathe?
It is easy to blame another person (or country) for the problems you have at home. All of your people starving because of your inept leadership, but you still want to hold the reins of power? Blame America. It is our fault we don't send you enough aid dollars, or it is our fault the country next to you is trying to take over and choking you economically and we aren't doing enough to stop it. Don't look at the role you play when you can just pass the buck. Like I have said, if the US didnt exist, all of Europe would be speaking German or they would be a lampshade or bar of soap. Horrible to type, but it is true. America is the glue that holds this world together.
Right now,Alfred Nobel must be spinning in his grave because his Peace Prize was given to someone who has accomplished very little to get it. It's sad that the Nobel Committee passed over a number of legitimately qualified people in order to give Obama the award. They are politicizing the Peace Prize and I think that it's just plain stupid that they did so.
My thoughts are here: <a href="http://the2minshate.blogspot.com/” target=”_blank”>http://the2minshate.blogspot.com/
Clinton actually spent months unofficially lobbying for it trying to broker Peace in the middle east
Reagan brought down the Berlin wall
Bush liberated 50 Million and worked on African health
Hell the Nuclear Bomb has prevented more wars and death than anything else
Obama has some ideas that appeal to the leftist in Europe
That carrie reference is quite apt
Here's the news! The Euro's and most of the rest of the liberal world have never liked the US. They are like an old girlfriend who's hooked on crack who only comes around when she needs a fix or needs something fixed. Such as a genocidal dictator needing to be removed. The Euro leadership also hates us in that we have to gall to try and make them do something tough like take on a genocidal dictator. They'd rather sit around and drink espresso. We pick up after the world and they still crap on us. This is why I feel liberalism IS a mental condition in that the people who suffer from it always feel like they need to be loved and accepted at any cost. Screw this trying to be liked crap. It's slowing us down.
President Obama gets an award just for showing up. Did the Nobel committee go to one of our public schools?
WED O NEED A NOBEL PRIZE CZAR AND LYNN CHENEY'S IDEA WAS OFF THE CHARTS EXCELLENT!!!
I notice Obama didn't win the Nobel Prize for economics.
I think my 12-year old daughter is doing well in school. I should give her a valid driver's license right now, in hopes that she will be a good driver someday.
"TIm Kaine claimed that the prize was “an affirmation of the fact that the United States has returned to its longstanding role as a world leader.”" -Uuuuh, sure that's why the dollar is worth the same as a Peso today….moron!
"TIm Kaine claimed that the prize was “an affirmation of the fact that the United States has returned to its longstanding role as a world leader.”" -Uhhhh, sure that's why the dollar is worth the same as a Peso today….moron!
"TIm Kaine claimed that the prize was “an affirmation of the fact that the United States has returned to its longstanding role as a world leader.”" – Uhhhh, sure that's why the dollar is worth the same as a Peso today….moron!
I wholeheartedly agree that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama was a poorly conceived political "blessing" from the state of Norway. Awarding intent or theory is in line with the spirit of the award, but does it really do any good? Far better for the committee to have actually used the award to raise the profile of a struggling cause rather than send a statement to the world.
That said, jumping to the conclusion that we are "encourage(ing) behavior that will only embolden the terrorists with whom we are at war" is a stretch for me. Over the years, my infatuation with the neocon doctrine of reshaping the world in our democratic likeness has waxed and waned. Right now, I strongly believe we need to get our own house in order before we can ever return to prominence. The old saying, "pot, this is kettle. you're black", applies to our country today like never before.
Until we eliminate the corruption in our own governments, how can we ever preach republican democracy to the world? As long as our congressional leaders are up for sale to the highest bidder we are no different than the most oppressive of nations – but in our case it is not war lords but corporate lords who use the U.S. Government to inflict their will on the people.
You must be logged in to post a comment.