Friday October 9, 2009, 3:26 am
Onya obama!...Can't understand why George Bush didn't win one though...After all he started two wars to bring peace for America...Makes you wonder, doesn't it? :)

Friday October 9, 2009, 7:32 am
I am so proud of Barack. He is handling the card he was dealt. In a smart thoughtful way. He truly wants to unite us all. He acknowledges all view points desire to be heard.

Friday October 9, 2009, 8:01 am
Wow. I'm a fan of our president but I too don't quite understand this sort of premature bestowal of such an honor. It's been less than 9 months after all. Perhaps they see something we don't, know some of his behind the scenes political actions that we do no or hear little aboutt? Or maybe the comitttee is like the rest of us so happy he's not W that they just went nuts and said 'what the hey.'Who knows? What I do know however is what the ever-hate-spewing Right Wing response will be: 'This confirms he's a socialist,' 'it constitutes a 'wink-wink' endorsement of his socialist agenda,' 'the Swedes are playing politics and the award means nothing.' Am I close you think?

Friday October 9, 2009, 8:08 am
You are very right. I think there are more behind the scene things we won,t know for a while. The right wing wing media can,t stand good will to our country. Especially if it is due to Barack. What a shame,

Friday October 9, 2009, 8:34 am
whoopsy, said the Swedes when it's actually the Norwegians. sorry about that.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 2:33 am
He won in advance of all the great things he can do so he will have something to live up to. The world needs someone who can bring us all together after the divisive and clueless nightmare of the Bush years. I think he is doing a good job considering the cards he was dealt, and can't think of anyone else I'd rather see as President right now. So I say congratulations and good luck to President Obama.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 6:05 am
This is such a tremendous vote of confidence that Obama is truly transforming not only the country and its approach to the world, but the world itself, one small action at a time! A testament to Obama's deepest nature and the depth of his soul! To live on forever and be cherished by the generations that come after us!

Saturday October 10, 2009, 4:00 pm
Yes,you have right Talathiel,btw Swedes,Norwegians...we are the same or very close,even Denmark,Scandinavia.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 4:23 pm
Yeah give a Peace Prize to someone that has not even made any peace anywhere! That makes a lot of sense, let him do something first that does bring about peace then think of him as a candidate. Non-proliferation of nukes, boy is that a new concept, that no other president ever thought of. And peace in the Middle East, how long and how many administrations have sought that? He has done nothing to deserve the honor bestowed upon him, and he should not have accepted the award, in my opinion. Let him prove himself worthy, and again let the voting take place!

Saturday October 10, 2009, 4:23 pm
Alfred Nobel was Swedish. The Nobel is Swedish - I think the Norwegians only have say about the peace price if I'm not wrong.

Europe in general have hope due to Obama. They could not stand Bush.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 7:02 pm
,,,,,His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, Nobel Prize "winner", disrespected by President Obama of the (still bloody) USA. We wouldn't want the Chinese to call-in their debt notes, would we? And, the same ol' good boys are still running the banks...no health care for millions, and unemployment is increasing...Congressional paralysis as lobbyists wheel and deal. Change? But imagine what it would be if McCain/Palin had Won! Nuclear Winter by now, probably. I hope Obama explains all of this to the Nation. Prime Time, with The Dalai Lama by his side.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 7:29 pm
Late entry to ponder. I heard it on the radio and confirmed it on google:

"Well the final closing date for Nobel Prize nominations was February 2009"
(google)...

So nominations for Obama's Prize closed just 11? days into Obama's term and therefore, to me, the awarding of this prize is totally unjustified?

Saturday October 10, 2009, 7:39 pm
BUT I agree that he is a very worthy recipient, given his already remarkable performance, if only for his single decisive disbanding of GWB"S idiotic (anti Russia's trust) "defense shield" shambles and has efectively put a final end to the luke warm cold war AND potentially opened up negotiations for a nuke free world...

BUT given the date he was nominated, award not justified.

Saturday October 10, 2009, 10:16 pm
he is deserving... he is taking away the bad name that America has.. all due to the Bush administration... give him credit as he gets through all that awful paper work that Bush left behind.. He is a man for all seasons and I truly think he will make the grade..

Saturday October 10, 2009, 11:51 pm
If President Obama succeeds in his ambitious plans, what are people going to give him for that? I hope he does achieve his plans; in future I hope the Nobel Prize is awarded after the event not before. What has happened this time is similar to paying bonuses in advance!

Sunday October 11, 2009, 12:48 am
===

Warmonger Wins Peace Prize

By Paul Craig Roberts

The non-cynical can say that the Nobel committee is seizing on Obama's rhetoric to lock him into the pursuit of peace instead of war. We can all hope that it works. But the more likely result is that the award has made "War is Peace" the reality.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23681.htm

===

Obama's Nobel Peace Prize

By Thomas DiLorenzo

I'm still surprised, though, that he won the prize after killing so few people.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23676.htm

===

Good War vs. Great Society

By JOHN FEFFER

Can Obama have his guns and eat his butter too?
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23684.htm

===

Sunday October 11, 2009, 5:04 am
*Congratulations* Mr. Obama...your friends here in Canada share the accolades bestowed on you!! Hopefully the world will heed your call for peace....

Sunday October 11, 2009, 1:13 pm
War and Peace Prizes

By Howard Zinn

I was dismayed when I heard Barack Obama was given the Nobel peace prize. A shock, really, to think that a president carrying on two wars would be given a peace prize. Until I recalled that Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Henry Kissinger had all received Nobel peace prizes. The Nobel committee is famous for its superficial estimates, won over by rhetoric and by empty gestures, and ignoring blatant violations of world peace.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article23690.htm

Monday October 12, 2009, 8:25 pm
What the Did I miss something Obama hasnt done anything its just another way that he can think big about him self. I dont see any positive coming from this so called president. I'm just in a state of shock what next a grammy??? lets just let him take over america and the world take our guns let the muslims in and who care about god right hes went way to far and i'm just wondering when the american people are going to say ok this is enough.

Tuesday October 13, 2009, 6:30 pm
Nobel jury speaks out in defense of Obama prize
By IAN MacDOUGALL and KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writers Ian Macdougall And Karl Ritter, Associated Press Writers
22 mins ago

OSLO – One judge noted with surprise that President Barack Obama "didn't look particularly happy" at being named the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Another marveled at how critics could be so patronizing.

In a rare public defense of a process normally shrouded in secrecy, four of the Nobel jury's five judges spoke out Tuesday about a selection they said was both merited and unanimous.

To those who say a Nobel is too much too soon in Obama's young presidency, "We simply disagree ... He got the prize for what he has done," committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland told The Associated Press by telephone from Strasbourg, France, where he was attending meetings of the Council of Europe.

Jagland singled out Obama's efforts to heal the divide between the West and the Muslim world and scale down a Bush-era proposal for an anti-missile shield in Europe.

"All these things have contributed to — I wouldn't say a safer world — but a world with less tension," he said.

For nine-year Nobel committee veteran Inger-Marie Ytterhorn, Obama's demeanor spoke volumes when he first acknowledged the award during a news conference Friday on the lawn of the White House Rose Garden.

"I looked at his face when he was on TV and confirmed that he would receive the prize and would come to Norway, and he didn't look particularly happy," she told the AP by telephone.

"Obama has a lot of problems internally in the United States and they seem to be increasing. Unemployment, health care reform: They are a problem for him," she said.

She acknowledged there was a risk the prize might backfire on Obama by raising expectations even higher and giving ammunition to his critics. "It might hamper him," Ytterhorn said, because it could distract from domestic issues.

Still, she added: "Whenever we award the peace prize, there is normally a big debate about it" so the Obama controversy was not unexpected.

It was unusual, however, for the Nobel jury to speak out so candidly about their selection.

Even the most seasoned Nobel watchers were surprised by Obama's Nobel — they hadn't expected the U.S. president, who took office barely two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline, to be seriously considered until at least next year.

Jagland said that was never an issue for the Nobel committee, which followed the guidelines set forth by Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite who established the prize in his 1895 will.

"Alfred Nobel wrote that the prize should go to the person who has contributed most to the development of peace in the previous year," Jagland said.

"Who has done more for that than Barack Obama?"

Aagot Valle, a left-wing Norwegian politician who joined the Nobel panel this year, also dismissed suggestions that Obama was undeserving of the honor.

"Don't you think that comments like that patronize Obama? Where do these people come from?" Valle said from the coastal city of Bergen. "Well, of course, all arguments have to be considered seriously. I'm not afraid of a debate on the Peace Prize decision. That's fine."

World leaders have reacted positively to Obama's Nobel in most cases, the committee said, with much of the criticism coming from the media and Obama's political rivals.

"I take note of it. My response is only the judgment of the committee, which was unanimous," Jagland said.

In announcing the award Friday, the committee, whose members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament, applauded the change in global mood brought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation. They also praised his pledges to reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease U.S. conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen the U.S. role in combating climate change.

The White House declined comment on the Nobel judge's latest statements.

However, Obama expressed surprise and humility at Friday's news conference, saying the prize should be considered not a "recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations."

Nobel Peace Prize selections have often been surrounded by fierce debate. Controversial awards include the 1994 prize shared by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli leaders Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin for Mideast peace efforts, as well as the joint prize to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho for a 1973 cease-fire agreement. The Vietnam War continued for two more years.

So the Nobel jury "expected that there would be a discussion" about Obama's award, said Kaci Kullman Five, a former Conservative Party parliamentarian and longtime Nobel committee member.

Valle said the criticism shouldn't overshadow important issues raised by Obama's Nobel.

"Of course I expected disagreement and debate on ... giving him the prize," she said. "But what I want now is that we seriously raise a discussion regarding nuclear disarmament."

Tuesday October 13, 2009, 10:32 pm
Award without work, amusing.