Thread: The 2009 Nobel peace prize

I have been rather disappointed at the recent threads on the subject, so I decided to start my very own thread.

Here is the press release:

Originally Posted by The Norwegian Nobel Committee

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.


Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.


Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.


For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."


Oslo, October 9, 2009

Last time I took an English language test I scored fairly high on the reading comprehension part, so let me parse the statements and the logic here:

0.) The Nobel Committee has 10 000 000 SEK to give away at it's own discretion to an individual or organization who has contributed significantly to making the world more peaceful place. The selection process is closed to the public, and rather secretive.

1.) International diplomacy based on multilateral approach is very significant to world peace.

2.) Barack Obama has made extraodinary efforts to bring multirateralism to international diplomacy. As aside the committee thinks that United States has become to play a much more constructive role in international diplomacy, due to his efforts.

Point (0) renders the public opinion pretty irrelevant, but that doesn't mean that the public can not have an opinion. Similarly many people contribute out of their private money to various causes they consider worthy and that's at their own discretion. They don't attract public scrutiny mostly because the contributions are pretty small.

So, this leaves points (1) and (2) where somebody can object the decision of the Nobel Committee. I have put up a poll to find out what the actual reasonable objections are.