And the Peace Nobel Prize for 2009 goes to...

[The Brain]

I have no fear of escalation. He's just sending some more to save Afghanistan from the Afghanese.

[Agelastus]

I don't know much about the Norwegian way of doing things and I don't want to, but isn't the peace prize given to a person and not a specific act, much like the literature prize and unlike the real prizes? Maybe the nomination was for Obama (period) and when the time came for a decision (recently) he had in fact done more than 11 days? Getting hung up on the nomination date may not be productive.

Oh, I'm certain the nomination was made for Obama, but the nomination is supposed to be made for the achievements (ie. the actions) of the person involved. Even that Thirty Year career diplomat that won it a couple of years ago in Jaron's list has more actual substance (or, perhaps to put it better, results) in his career than Obama has managed so far.

His victory is most definitely a win for style over substance, for good intentions over actual deeds.

And Jaron, that bit about reassuring Europe? Bush had already taken care of that in his second term - all Obama's done is made us nervous again about America's attitude to Russia.

[The Brain]

The nomination isn't supposed to be for anything special at all AFAIK. You can nominate Pi for excellent mathematical service for all I know. It's awarding the prize which has rules to follow.

[The Brain]

For reference so we know what we are talking about this is the entirety of the part of Nobel's will which defines the Nobel Prizes:

The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiological or medical work by the Caroline Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not.

[CountDeMoney]

All this brouhaha is a bit much;  making too much out of an award that, in honesty, means very little.

It's the weakest of the Nobels anyway.  I hold in higher esteem the Nobel awarded to the researchers this year for Physiology than I do anybody who wins the Peace Prize.  The Peace Prize is fluff.  Always has been.

[Admiral Yi]

It has certainly been a joke for a while.  When was the last kickass Peace Prize?  Begin-Sadat?

[grumbler]

2009

The prize goes to:

BARACK OBAMA for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.

Extraordinary efforts?    The dude has done jack shit, other than to talk.  Let's wait for an effort to actually be exerted before we call it "extraordinary."  And then lets wait for a second extraordinary effort before we start talking about efforts.

If there was a Nobel Prize for Empty Rhetoric I think we know which group would win.

[Razgovory]

You?

[CountDeMoney]

Extraordinary efforts?    The dude has done jack shit, other than to talk.  Let's wait for an effort to actually be exerted before we call it "extraordinary."  And then lets wait for a second extraordinary effort before we start talking about efforts.

You're confusing efforts with accomplishments.  He's made efforts.

[derspiess]

You're confusing efforts with accomplishments.  He's made efforts.

Yep, he made efforts to alienate/offend our allies & clumsily attempt to appease those who hate us.  I'm surprised you of all people give him a pass on his approach towards Russia.  Save some kool-aid for your fellow Dems, willya?

[Razgovory]

And what exactly has the GOP done in the face of the Russian menace recently?

[Darth Wagtaros]

And what exactly has the GOP done in the face of the Russian menace recently?

Complain abotu the Democommies not being badass enough.  Same as they've been doing for years. 

If Russia was still Red they'd probably be trying to borrow money and move more of our manufacturing base over there too.  Makes your blood boil I should say.

[Berkut]

You guys are always bitching about the PLO and how you're happy Arafat died and how he was a terrorist and a murderer. And yet...

you somehow deem him more worthy of the prize than the President of the United States.

Since his rise to prominence, Obama has called for healing in America, of old racial tensions and political hatreds.

You are a case in point about how effective that has been.

[derspiess]

And what exactly has the GOP done in the face of the Russian menace recently?

Razz, if you don't see any difference between the Bush & Obama Administrations & their respective approaches to Russia, I'm not going to bother arguing with you over it.

Btw, do you disagree with *anything* Obama does?

[Berkut]

And what exactly has the GOP done in the face of the Russian menace recently?

Razz, if you don't see any difference between the Bush & Obama Administrations & their respective approaches to Russia, I'm not going to bother arguing with you over it.

Btw, do you disagree with *anything* Obama does?

Wouldn't Obama have to do something first?