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President Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

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OSLO (AP) — President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his nascent initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and replace unilateral American action with international diplomacy and cooperation.

Nobel observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama woke up to the news a little before 6 a.m. EDT. The White House had no immediate comment on the announcement, which took the administration by surprise.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama’s calls for peace and cooperation but recognized initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.

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Comments
faded_Glory @ 9 wrote: I don’t understand these negative reactions at all. I don't see more than one serious reaction to the issue before you commented, so your use of the plural here is... interesting. My comments were satirizing the idea of giving someone - anyone - a supposedly globally-prestigious prize for doing something that was physically impossible to do. The Peace Prize nominations were decided on February 1, 2009. The President was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. He had been in office 12 days when it was decided that he had done enough work for peace to be seriously considered for the Nobel Peace Prize. He beat out nominees like: The Handicap International and Cluster Munition Coalition, a coalition of worldwide organizations that clean up cluster bombs and land mines to protect innocent civilians. Dr. Denis Mukwege, a doctor who founded and heads the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He has dedicated his life to helping Congolese women and girls who are victims of gang rape and brutal sexual violence. Hu Jia and Wei Jingsheng, who risked their lives protesting the brutalities of the Chinese government. Hu Jia is currently imprisoned in China and Wei Jingsheng fled to the U.S. after spending 17 years of his life in Chinese prisons for speaking out. Sima Samar, a women’s rights activist in Afghanistan who kept her schools and clinics open in Afghanistan even during the most repressive days of the Taliban regime, when women were executed for much lesser "offenses". According to the Nobel Committee, President Obama has done nothing like the things these people did. He was awarded the prize for (direct quote): "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." If you truly believe someone - anyone - can have demonstrable results of strengthening international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples in 12 days, then you believe in a Messiah greater than any creationist has believed in.angryoldfatman
October 11, 2009
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I think that this commun knowledge the fact that peace and literature Nobel prices are awarded to the most leftist person of the year. This is because Nobel, in his testament, said that he wanted to award the person having promoted some kind of ideology. Having not said what kind of ideology he was refering to, current Nobel are awarded to communist, socialist, etc.. idealist. If it wasn't for the need of fact, the Nobel prices in Medicine or chemistry would have been awarded to an evolutionary scientist a long time ago. However, I wouldn't be too surprise if one day, Dawkin would get the Nobel price of literature. I'm actually a bit surprise that he didn't get it this year...Kyrilluk
October 11, 2009
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Surely it reflects well on all Americans that your democratically elected president is awarded this prestigious award? It's cynically obvious to many of us of outside interference in our body politic. Americans of a certain political bent get accolades and Nobels Peace Prizes. Others do not despite being objectively more productive in bringing about peace. When was the last time someone was machine-gunned trying to cross from one part of Germany to another? When was the last time Iraq attacked a neighbor? Does the Syrian Army still occupy Lebanon? You can't give Jimmy Carter, Al Gore or Obama credit for any changes in such circumstances.tribune7
October 11, 2009
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I don't understand these negative reactions at all. Surely it reflects well on all Americans that your democratically elected president is awarded this prestigious award? Why not be thankful and proud that in the eyes of the outside world your president, and therefore your country, is making significant contributions to peace? Would you want it to be otherwise? fGfaded_Glory
October 11, 2009
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Despite, or because of the history, this prize was awarded for several reasons. 1) To rebuke George Bush for invading Iraq. 2) Rebuke America as evil, unilateral superpower. 3) Recognize what they think is Obama's Liberalism and peaceful advances. 4) Rebuke of American free markets in favor of socialist/marxist centralized government bureaucratic elites. There is so much to our history and complexity of ideological wars around the world. America has done good and made mistakes in trying to be a molder of justice at times and at others fearful of the march of Communism. When the Soviet Union fell, the world only had America to look at and to blame for all our problems. But when the majority of the world looks away from and rejects Christ, it is no surprise that socialist and the secular world looks to their false messiahs, like Obama. Despite whatever his best intentions may be, they're not based upon Judeo-Christian outreach, but upon Marxist values of bureaucratic control. I suggest anyone who is interested in Obama's life, political friends and past look at the blog New Zeal. It will take several days reading. Be patient. Look through all the connections of organizations started from the 60s, from Socialist and Communist that went underground and eventually resurfaced with new names at times, like ACORN, Apollo, SEIU, etc. It is well worth your time if you desire the truth of what has happened to America in this election cycle. The socialist and communist of Europe identify with Obama because he is one of them. New Zeal For anyone with eyes and ears open, this is not a surprise. It is a march that has been ongoing for over 40 years in the making. The Nobel, however well intentioned is the result of a blind world.DATCG
October 10, 2009
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They must not have Saturday Night Live in Norway.absolutist
October 10, 2009
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Yasar Arafat, Al Gore, Obama? Who's running that Nobel committee anyway? Monty Python's Flying Circus?Borne
October 10, 2009
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Without realizing it and having nothing to do with it, Barack Obama has indeed brought the world closer together today just as he promised he would. The Nobel committee did it for him. What did it do? It has caused the whole world to break into laughter and it brought shame upon the committee. Now we know for sure what we have always known. The Nobel Peace Prize is not based on Peace at all. It is simply a bunch of ideologues promoting their own agenda. What a hoot!!!!PhilipW
October 9, 2009
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"Oh yeah, he’s also getting the Nobel Prize in Physics for his local-time-dilation machine – the device that allowed him to foster world peace in a mere 12 days." Lmao....now, that right there is *funny*!FtK
October 9, 2009
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Good point Angryman, 12 days into his presidency, Pshaw. He wouldn't win today so what is the point of giving him one? So he won that Nobel Prize on the hope of his message of hope? Yet he didn't do anything that he promised. So they just give the prize to liars anyway? If I were them I would take the Nobel prize back. Otherwise they just jumped the shark and rendered their prize worthless.Debunking Atheists
October 9, 2009
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I heard he was getting the Templeton Prize and the Distinguished Service to Humanism Award. Talk about your bipartisanship! Oh yeah, he's also getting the Nobel Prize in Physics for his local-time-dilation machine - the device that allowed him to foster world peace in a mere 12 days.angryoldfatman
October 9, 2009
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He's up for the Cy Young award as well.tribune7
October 9, 2009
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