Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8298580.stm

I can't help feeling this is mainly an award for not being Dubya.

I know Obama has started initiatives in the Middle East but nothing has resulted yet, so it seems premature to dish out a gong.

Agreed.

A prize for trying? Normally in England you would get a sticker for that saying 'Good Effort' with a smiely face, not a big award like that....

I voted for the guy but this is silly. He hasn't even been in office for a year!

Cant think of one initiative hes implemented thats has come to fruition.
PR nonsense for the lose.

You're all just jealous because the USA is like some unstoppable gothic military machine raging across France, unstoppable by anything your pathetic peace attempts can do. You can protest, you can barter treaties. your brave can stand against the dictator everywhere, but its nothing next to our ultimate Nobel uber power!!! buahahaha

USA USA USA!!!

(er what were we talking about?)

the gentleman in the back cant seem to keep a strait face over the anoucement, is this a joke?

Here's the important part.

Asked why the prize had been awarded to Mr Obama less than a year after he took office, Nobel Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve".

"It is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done," he said.

Kilkrazy wrote:I can't help feeling this is mainly an award for not being Dubya.

Man, where's my award then? meh. oh well I'd rather get one of these, than some pansy peace prize.

I think the man was as suprised as everyone else that he was awarded the prize. I agree that his heart is in the right place, but I wonder if enough time has passed since his election for any meaningful changes to take effect.

Not quite as dumb as giving Bono one.

Can I have the money? I promise to do good

Help out the locals with halloween





And help the environment by driving green!

Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Manchu wrote: Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Can someone translate this please? (God! every day I curse not taking that latin class at the community center, "but that will interfere with friday night magic" I said Jeez I'm dumb If only I had the foresight.....)

Manchu wrote: Spem in alium numquam habui praeter in te
Deus Israel
qui irasceris
et propitius eris
et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis
Domine Deus
Creator coeli et terrae
respice humilitatem nostram

Quoting Harry Potter won't help you.

I am very proud of the United States and our president at this moment. For my fellow Americans here at dakka, there's no reason to be partisan on this issue. We aren't being turned away by other nations but rather listened to because we're trying to listen to them, I hope. It's good news for all Americans, I think.

I have never put my hope in any other but in you,
O God of Israel
who can show both anger
and graciousness,
and who absolves all the sins of suffering man
Lord God,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
be mindful of our lowliness

Judith's hymn of victory after overcoming hopeless odds.

Quoting Harry Potter won't help you.

Indeed. In fact it might actively work against you.

So, reds8n, you can see why I have reason to be proud of my country today?

Speaking of unstoppable military machine I just saw this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures

...and knowing that the date isn't perfect and wikipedia is only as reliable as the last editor (who is unaccountable) etc. ...

It gave a link to the USA 2010 defence budget: 663.7 billion dollars. That is more than the next 19 biggest military spenders combined. The Commander-In-Chief of that massive military is Barak Obama.

HE got the prize for peace?

I know he didn't support the War in Iraq from its inception and he may be trying to make things better in the Middle East etc. but that still seems terribly odd.

Whats the problem? It pjust proves if you have a big enough military you'll get the peace prize, or else!

All and all I think it is rather silly, but then again, I think the Nobel Peace Prize is a little silly. Nobel Prizes should be for achievments in the sciences or the like, not just for saying things that promote a warm fuzzy feeling.

Bear in mind that nominations for the Nobel Prize had to be postmarked by Feb 1. That means Obama was in office < 2 weeks before nominated. Voting "present" must have worked this time.

Even Arafat had to work harder for his.

ZF-

..errmmm..well...better to win it than not win it. And, given the quote above Mr. Frazzled helpfully highlighted, it does perhaps show that certain bridges that were..damaged if not burnt..during the last few years are in fact on the mend.

Plus the next time we have the tri monthly argument over which continent/country has done the most evil/good etc it's +1score for you guys on the NP score front.

Zad Fnark wrote:Bear in mind that nominations for the Nobel Prize had to be postmarked by Feb 1. That means Obama was in office < 2 weeks before nominated. Voting "present" must have worked this time.

Even Arafat had to work harder for his.

ZF-

Yea Arafat had to kill hundreds of people before he was eligible. Obama hadn't hardly threatened anyone by then.

reds8n wrote:..errmmm..well...better to win it than not win it. And, given the quote above Mr. Frazzled helpfully highlighted, it dperhaps show that certain bridges that were..damaged if not burnt..during the last few years are in fact on the mend.

Plus the next time we have the tri monthly argument over which continent/country has done the most evil/good etc it's +1score for you guys on the NP score front.

I don't understand why people are obsessed about what the rest of the world thinks of us. I mean, I don't particularly care what my fellow Americans think about what I do, so I can understand even less what someone thinks halfway across the world.

Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have something in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have soemthing in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Eh, yah, I guess. I don't really think about it that often because I work with people so infrequently. I mean, I don't bear anyone any ill will, but I've never understood the need to change policy, whether public or my own, just because someone criticizes me. Just ignore it.

Wait.. you're not a diplomat ?!

.

I'll admit I'm struggling to come up with a scenario in which you'd perhaps need to co operate with the "socialist hellhole" that Sweden obviously is...

..are you short of fit blonde women currently ...hmm..actually...

/ Nice to "see" you BTW... we worry...

Grignard wrote:

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have soemthing in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Eh, yah, I guess. I don't really think about it that often because I work with people so infrequently. I mean, I don't bear anyone any ill will, but I've never understood the need to change policy, whether public or my own, just because someone criticizes me. Just ignore it.

I gotta agree with you here Gringard, ones actions should be detirmined by what they believe is the moral/appropriate action IMO. Not what's gonna make them more popular.

Wow...I'm just stunned. Here I was thinking the Nobel organization and the peace prize actually meant something. But it's really just a political mechanism to inluence people by bribing them.

Obama should decline this bribe.

GG

reds8n wrote: Do you co operate more with people you like and feel you have something in common with or those you maintain an active dislike of ?

Do you count work? If so its B vs. A