Friday, October 09, 2009
Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
by Larry Geller
Obama’s drones:
An MQ-9 Reaper takes off on a mission in Afghanistan Oct. 1.
Sourcing on civilian deaths is weak and the numbers are often exaggerated, but more than 600 civilians are likely to have died from the attacks. That number suggests that for every militant killed, 10 or so civilians also died. [Brookings.edu, Do Targeted Killings Work?, 7/14/2009]
"From time to time in the history of international law various weapons have been thought to be so cruel as to be beyond the pale of human tolerance. I think cluster bombs and landmines are the most recent examples.
"It may be – I'm not expressing a view – that unmanned drones that fall on a house full of civilians is a weapon the international community should decide should not be used." [Telegraph (UK), 7/6/2009]
The Nobel prize has been questioned before. This award will be applauded, condemned, and questioned intensely. Most of the discussion will focus on whether Obama deserved it or not, or what was the Nobel committee’s intent. Keeping in mind that the peace prize is a method of influence as well as a reward, we shall see how effective it is. Will Obama stop killing civilians? Of course not. Killing civilians did not cost him the Peace Prize, why stop now.
Meanwhile, every newspaper with a web page will be putting up a dumb survey. That’s the level of discourse we enjoy today from the commercial media. But nevermind, your favorite TV pundits will each have their say, also. People will choose their point of view according to their usual TV station’s insightful analysis. I’ll hold out for Comedy Central myself. In a couple of days this will be over.
I thought the Nobel Prize was awarded for ACCOMPLISHMENT, not TRYING.
What has Obama ACCOMPLISHED??? He has started many "noble" things, but finished none.
Therefore, in my opinion, he did not deserve the prize.
: October 9, 2009 at 2:52:00 PM HST The nomination deadline was Feb.1 -- less than two weeks after Obama's presidency began.
This is absolute bullshit.
: October 9, 2009 at 3:15:00 PM HST Your commentators must be American who watch too much American television. Hopefully this prize will pressure Obama to follow through on the hope he has inspired to the rest of us in the world.
Reagen should have one it. He ended the cold war and brought down the Berlin Wall.
All Obama has done so far is get elected (and not by a huge margin) and not fulfill, or do the opposite of, all his campaign promises.
The Nobel Prize has become politicized. Alfred Nobel must be rolling in his grave.
: October 10, 2009 at 7:04:00 AM HST I feel this is my award as well, I voted for him and his ideals and dreams are mine as well. He is my man in the Whitehouse and he has my support to do the job he has been hired to do. We each, even the "know it all's" haven't a clue about the situation he is in and the things he has to deal with. The ones who hate him will hate him no matter what he does...
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