Interesting summation of world reactions here:

World Reaction to a Nobel Surp ... e Lede Blog - NYTimes.com

Quote from Gnomie :

It could tie his hands regarding Afghanistan, for example...

Maybe they are sending Obama a message.

Quote from tinvek :

the nobel peace prize has a history of being awarded to people who are attempting to bring more peace to the world

They gave one to Kissinger - look what he went on to achieve.

Quote from der butz :

Well, he HAS done all of what you stated here, and for that alone he gets a big thumbs up from me personnally. And looking back in history I have to admit tinvek is absolutely right.
Obama started something, now he gets the price and he MUST continue making America a better behaving country.
BTW: I've often criticized more than half of the americans for voting bush into his second period, I have not yet congratulated them for getting the right one in place. Congratulations ladies :-)

greetz

der butz

Personally I think Obama is a good thing. Certainly for the world in general if not for the american population as a whole. The world needs a more outward facing America.

However, the idea of someone who is in effect the leader of a nation engaged in two wars, (irrespective of their moral legitimacy or not), being awarded a "peace" prize sticks in my gullet quite frankly.

It's clearly a political move. There are clearly far more deserving winners than Obama. At least he had the good grace to be "humbled" and "surprised" by the award.

Quote from wien :

You are of course aware of how his country got out of the great depression?

lol whether they got out of it 'despite' or 'because' of the war is a question we do not have the answer too.

I wounder if he would have still won it if he had a paler complection.

I honestly think that there are politics and power plays going on here. Norwegians trying to interfere with American/world politics much? He's in the middle of a major decision on the war in Afghanistan, and I think maybe they are trying to force him to pull out of Afghanistan. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.

And I really don't think even Obama thinks he deserved it. I certainly don't and I'm generally a supporter.

EDIT:

Quote from Scott Mckenzie :

I wounder if he would have still won it if he had a paler complection.

The Noble Peace Prize is one of the most race-less things I know. People of all colors from all cultures have won in recent history.

It's all politics.

EDIT AGAIN: This is not my writing. I did however find that it makes a few interesting points. And it's of a viewpoint that no one has really said before.

Quote :

"He was nominated well before he did anything in terms of legislation or executive action, however he had already begun to change the world.

The Opinion of the US has gone up dramatically around the world, moving us from seventh place to first place. While I understand that many people react instinctively with the "Obama bad!" view point, and "international community stoopid!" idea, the truth is that our nation's appearance matters a great deal.

Take, for example, what happened in the UN. Barack Obama essentially turned the entire UN against Iran-- the entire international community, in fact. Where before Iran was seen as the country to be sympathetic to, people are now sympathetic to America. That's pretty damn genius if you look at it objectively, and replace Barack Obama with your choice politician.

Then again, Henry Kissinger who is essentially an armchair murderer, and Yasir Arifat who does nothing Arm Chair about his murder, both won the prize.

In the end, I wouldn't get too worked up over it. It's simply a symbolic gesture that shows where the world's heart is. Their heart is behind the US. And that's what matters."

I would even say I agree with a lot of it. But i'm not quite sure whether that statistic on the rankings of countries is all that credible. Seems kinda like bs to me.

Quote from Scott Mckenzie :

I wounder if he would have still won it if he had a paler complection.

He would've still won, look who the Republicans had to offer as an alternative. Plus, as a voting Republican myself, it was time for a change. The key word there is change. We're still involved in 2 wars, and sending more troops. For those that keep bringing up Bush's name, keep looking back. Listen, I applaud what Obama said he will do, and some thingd he wants to do, but, a President who's a Democrat, with a Democratically controlled government, doesn't have much wiggle room for excuses.

I served in the military back in the 70's, thank god no wars, and I wish these conflicts would end today. But until they do, how can a peace award be given to someone who's leading them. It just seems weird and strange.

Obama talked of 'change' but he never specified whether it was change for the better or the worse.

Quote from der butz :

It's beenNixon, Reagan, the Bushes, the right wing guys,

As far as I'm aware, Nixon didn't declare war. Vietnam was started by Kennedy and Johnson. Who both were democrats... *Cough* Woodrow Wilson/ FDR

Quote from 5haz :

Obama talked of 'change' but he never specified whether it was change for the better or the worse.

Um, nice quip, but factually inaccurate. He pretty clearly detailed a lot of the things he wanted to change (for the better).

""

Nothing in this thread is a fact.
Self-reflexive statement FTW.

I think he is a worthy winner

He have at least tried to change some big things.
Maybe it were to early, but still, he's a great man in my eyes.

Obama's prize makes no sense, since he hasn't done anything except cancel the missile project, mostly for financial shortages.

It just shows how inflated this prize is (as well as literature prize). Just imagine Fleischmann&Pons have prize for their promise of cold fusion and cheap energy for everyone.

Quote from DeadWolfBones :

Um, nice quip, but factually inaccurate. He pretty clearly detailed a lot of the things he wanted to change (for the better).

""

Well I wish he would hurry up.

I see Obama as somebody who has promised a lot of change but is yet to deliver on it. He was and still is a better choice than the McCain/Palin pairing, but so far he's mostly just tried to keep everyone happy in typical weasle politician style whilst not actually delivering much.

Having said that, his drive for better healthcare in the US was a good one, and anyone opposed to sorting out the healthcare in the least healthy and least caring developed country in the world has been listening to capitalist rhetorric and not looking at the facts - but aside from this drive for change I don't think he's really done much.

Certainly, nothing to warrant a peace prize.

America needed Obama when he took the reigns, it needed change, it needed to distance itself from Bush or the world right now would be in a frightful mess.

Currently however, he's just the figurehead of a bag of promises, and we all know that politicians promises aren't worth very much.

meh what's the point! lol

Quote from Intrepid :

That just shows your lack of ignorance/knowledge of the foundations of which America was built upon. Typical European ignorant point of view.

On the contrary, I know a fair bit about America and it's founding principles, but i'm not one for living by rules and nor am I for resisting change, and most importantly, nor am I an arrogant dick who believes in survival of the luckiest. The American healthcare system is diabolical, a profit driven mess that replaced GP's with customer service reps and performs un-needed surgeries on the healthy for profit whilst the uninsured die of neglect.

Quote :

This idea that a country can be 'caring' is complete bollox. I think there was this quote that democracy is dead when you "take from those who work, and then give to those that don't". Who would vote out someone that said they would remove all wellfare and healthcare now? See my point! Just look at the election turn-outs in the UK and you kinda think that probably holds some weight.

You can tell a lot about a country by the way it treats it's sick, when whole families suffer out of love for one an another when one persons illness leaves a saddle of debt that outlasts their generation something is wrong, very wrong. Currently in America families chip in together to support their ill, but medical costs are frequently too much for 1 family. The burden should be shared by all. It is often the poorest people who do the jobs that make them most likely to become ill. Healthcare for the rich is no way to manage a society, the American system is barbaric, a hangover from the dark ages, and needs change.

You only need look at the WHO ranking table of healthcare to see that social healthcare works, and America's system hasn't.

This is why I think Obama shaking things up (although the impetus was started by Hillary Clinton) is a good thing, and long overdue.

Could he now be morally trapped to deliver all the things he's promised?

Quote from Becky Rose :

On the contrary, I know a fair bit about America and it's founding principles, but i'm not one for living by rules and nor am I for resisting change, and most importantly, nor am I an arrogant dick who believes in survival of the luckiest. The American healthcare system is diabolical, a profit driven mess that replaced GP's with customer service reps and performs un-needed surgeries on the healthy for profit whilst the uninsured die of neglect.

You can tell a lot about a country by the way it treats it's sick, when whole families suffer out of love for one an another when one persons illness leaves a saddle of debt that outlasts their generation something is wrong, very wrong. Currently in America families chip in together to support their ill, but medical costs are frequently too much for 1 family. The burden should be shared by all. It is often the poorest people who do the jobs that make them most likely to become ill. Healthcare for the rich is no way to manage a society, the American system is barbaric, a hangover from the dark ages, and needs change.

You only need look at the WHO ranking table of healthcare to see that social healthcare works, and America's system hasn't.

This is why I think Obama shaking things up (although the impetus was started by Hillary Clinton) is a good thing, and long overdue.

1. You don't live by rules
2. You believe in 'managing societies'!

Becky you can't have both.

meh!

It's a pretty low way to attempt to win a discussion by highlighting semantics.

No I don't believe in rigid rulebooks, but i'm not an outright anarchist hell bend on destroying civilisation either. Think man, then see the light... America's healthcare has been wanting for some time, and picking on semantics in an internet debate doesn't change that fact.

Quote from Becky Rose :

It's a pretty low way to attempt to win a discussion by highlighting semantics.

No I don't believe in rigid rulebooks, but i'm not an outright anarchist hell bend on destroying civilisation either. Think man, then see the light... America's healthcare has been wanting for some time, and picking on semantics in an internet debate doesn't change that fact.

Becky, I guess as long as you like your life as a member of society to be 'managed' by someone you've neither met, or voted for, then I guess there's no point me arguing with you because I don't know who I am arguing with!

Quote from Intrepid :

Becky, I guess as long as you like your life as a member of society to be 'managed' by someone you've neither met, or voted for, then I guess there's no point me arguing with you because I don't know who I am arguing with!

*scratches her head* strange boy...

Quote from Becky Rose :

*scratches her head* strange boy...

Well I don't know you. If your just a managed being then what/who are you? It's more of a philosophical question. i thought you would get it!

If you think a National Healthcare System is part of a 'caring' society I suggest you visit some of the poor areas of Cuba! Great health care, not so great lifestyle!

Quote from Intrepid :

If you think a National Healthcare System is part of a 'caring' society I suggest you visit some of the poor areas of Cuba! Great health care, not so great lifestyle!

mhmm Cuba has good healthcare given it's tiny size and backward technology, it ranks higher than America on the WHO rankings, and is a social healthcare system.