I'm going to take this with an ounce of skepticism. Maybe a gallon...
You could have looked it up:
The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 - Press Release
"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
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
You already know as well as I do what they said, but David covered it just in case you didn't.
He's a charismatic speaker that brought hope to the world through his words, that's essentially what he got it for. He captured the minds and hearts of people with his message of hope and change, and of a nuclear free world and fairness for everyone blah blah blah. He speaks well and inspires people, but what has he actually done? Have his actions mirrored his words?
Maybe we should go re-visit this thread, just for shits n' giggles:
http://www.importatlanta.com/forums/...ace-prize.html
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
He was a voting Senator between 2005-2008. Obama held assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs, and he was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He was a chairman of the Subcommittee on European Affairs.
He did not receive it for becoming President, he received it for his vision and work towards a world without nuclear weapons - their statement makes that clear.
Let's look at his work then in that regard, since that is what he received his award for.
In August 2005, he traveled with Richard Lugar to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan to discuss keeping WMD's out of the hands of terrorists.
In 2007, he and Chuck Hagel introduced a bill to "reduce risk of nuclear terrorism".
He introduced the Nuclear Release Notice Act of 2006, the Nuclear Weapons Threat Reduction Act of 2007, and the Nuclear Release Notice Act of 2006 - all of which failed to become law or died in committee. In his 4 years in Congress, he managed to get 2 laws passed, neither of which were related to a nuclear-free world.
His voting record: President Barack Obama II - Voting Records - Project Vote Smart
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
Pretty obvious to me why he got it. When you have someone like Bush before you, it can't be hard to improve foreign relations.
All it takes is to have the mentality that the US is not the center of the world like it was 40-50 years ago. Something that Bush's whole redneck committee never seemed to understand. Americans between the ages of 18 and 60 make up like what, 4% of the world's population? Obama probably just realizes it's best not to piss off the other 96% with every decision he makes as a president. IMO Obama is doing just fine if he's pissing off <1% of the world's population here in the US. Most of which are rednecks anyway. 100% white 100% american opinion here lol have a good day.
There's no telling what the future holds...... Obama being elected opens up a wide new array of possibilities..... Justin Bieber or JayZ may be the next president. The world is a popularity contest. To put the Nobel prize in proper context......... the last president they gave one to was Jimmy Carter..... just saying.
Exactly... and 40-50 years ago it would have been a terrible thing to do. What is this "inside world"? How are we as Americans very different from people of other nations? Yes you can have your values, but how far will they get you when you can't play with the other kids on the playground?
Focusing on the inside world and not giving a fuck about the rest... Hmm sounds exactly like north korea?
Me personally, i could give a fuck less about the "other kids on the playground". The US is actually our home.... it's more than a welcoming mat and pillow service for the rest of the world. No other country has the right or justification to change our way of life..... if the rest of the world hates us, my response to them is stay the fuck out. Now if you want to come to america, buy a gun, buy a corvette, open a business... eat steak or whatever other freedom you wish to enjoy... come on over. If you want to change any of that..... GTFO
I never said the other countries had a right to change our lives. But if we keep fucking up, wouldn't they try to do it with force? Oh wait... what I just explained is exactly what we have been doing. Using force to change the lives of people belonging to other nations. Look in the fucking mirror dude. And have fun living your life with ideologies from last century.
If you believe that invading other countries is "setting a moral example and defending the rest of the world"... then surely Bush was the best president ever.
The President of the United States of America is supposed to look out for the needs of all US citizens first and foremost. He is not elected by the rest of the world, and is not responsible for other countries' citizens. If the President puts other countries opinions in front of those that he represents, he is not doing his job as an elected official properly, and should no longer retain that position.
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
I completely agree with the first part... but I never said he should put other countries opinions or needs in front of ours. I just believe that in this day and age, maintaining proper foreign relations should be just as important as keeping things real on the home front. I also think 90% of the anti-obama crap is being spewed by people who don't have a clue about the state of the world today and how different it is from even 15 years ago.
Yes. Overthrowing global tyrants is setting an example to the world. You act as if all war has suddenly stopped under Obama..... everything Bush did, Obama is doing..... 3X as many american soldiers have died in combat since Obama was president than during Bush's presidency. Obama has broken what little trust people had left in government.
I dont want to be in other countries trying to change them either..... let everyone else kill themselves, i dont give two shits personally..... if you feel the same way, then you shouldnt be voting for or supporting democrats... and especially not ones named Obama. A vote for a democrat is a vote to increase the size and power of this government you seem to be at odds with..... It's a vote to give them more resources and authority to force an agenda not only on other countries, but on you and me......
If you dont like this and want to reduce the size and authority of the US government.... reduce their ability to meddle in our lives and the lives of other countries.....
Then i suppose Ted Cruz and/or Rand Paul can expect your vote next election.
I'll go further and say that most of our domestic troubles are not in any way related to direct decisions made by the president. The government is too large, we have way too many BS regulations, incentives, and hoards of corruption. As the leading public figure of our nation. I think he's doing well to keep foreign relations at their best... and that is probably where he can be most effective. Until we have radical changes across almost every government organization in this country... we aren't going to fix a whole lot on the home front. I just prefer that the puppet we elect to sit at the top of the pyramid doesn't piss off the rest of the world, so that in case we do fix things on the home front, we don't have the kids in the rest of the world growing up with the intent of wiping us off the face of the earth.
EVERY PROBLEM YOU THINK WE HAVE IS MADE WORSE BY OBAMA!!!! EVERY COMPLAINT YOU HAVE IS MADE WORSE BY OBAMA!!!!!!
How the fuck do kids not realize this when they say this dumb shit..... its goddamn frustrating.....
"our government is too large" - yet votes for Obama....
"we have too many BS regulations" - yet votes for Obama....
"hoards of corruption" - yet votes for a chicago democrat....
OMFG............
While we live in a global economy with instant communication, the role of the President has not changed. Politically, his first responsibility has to be to the American people. IF he can secondarily help others without negatively impacting US citizens, then he should. The key is that the needs of the people, and their safety, must be the President's first priority.
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen
LOL I never said he's doing things right... but he's doing shit better than Bush was. Sure the democrats fuck things up. not a little either, a lot. I just laugh that you think Obama is actually the problem. It's much deeper than which president or which party is in office.
Our President and our government is powerless to have any impact upon how other people bring up their children. Long before the US existed, there were factions bent on making everyone follow their beliefs, or be exterminated. Unless you think that all of the US should renounce it's system and beliefs, then you cannot believe that these same factions will not continue to pass on their hate for America from generation to generation.
"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen