Webmaster’s Note: Since school started on October 8, I haven’t been able to check the internet and update news regarding the Literature and Peace Prizes in a timely manner. However, I have been following the news via my mobile phone. The night before last at 7:00 PM, I was monitoring the official Nobel Prize website on my phone and discovered that a German author won the Literature Prize. Then, last night, an even more shocking piece of news was released—the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is actually Barack Obama!
How unexpected! It is actually the U.S. President we are all so familiar with! Countries around the world share this surprise. However, what is worth reflecting on is that the primary reason for awarding the Nobel Prize to Obama is likely not to affirm his existing achievements, but rather to encourage him to lead the United States in making even greater contributions to the world! From this perspective, the world’s expectations for this American president are immense!
According to a Reuters report via China.org.cn on October 9, U.S. President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his work for world peace and his call for the reduction of the world’s nuclear stockpiles.
When the Nobel Peace Prize Committee announced the news, many journalists at the press conference site gasped in astonishment.
This news took many media outlets, including those in the United States, by surprise; some even thought it was a joke. The international community’s reaction to Obama’s win has been intense, ranging from congratulations and reminders to outright opposition.
Obama, who was awakened from a deep sleep by a White House spokesperson to be informed of the news, stated that he felt “humbled” by the award. The White House spokesperson was temporarily “speechless” early that morning.
This year’s Nobel Peace Prize had a record-breaking 205 nominated candidates. Previously, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe was considered a favorite to win. Obama is the third prominent U.S. Democrat to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in the last decade. Former Vice President Al Gore shared the prize in 2007 with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and former President Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002.
The Story Behind the Award
Thorbjørn Jagland, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, stated that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama was to recognize his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
The Committee stated that they paid special attention to Obama’s vision and efforts in promoting a world without nuclear weapons.
The Committee believes that “Obama has 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.”
At 11:00 AM Central European Time on the 9th (5:00 PM Beijing Time), the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee announced in the capital, Oslo, that this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner is U.S. President Barack Obama. The committee said Obama has made “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples... and has created a new climate in international politics.”
Obama is the first African-American president in U.S. history. Since taking office in January this year, he has called for the reduction of nuclear arsenals and has worked to restart the stalled Middle East peace process.
In its citation, the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated, “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.”
Obama’s award comes less than nine months after he took office. Despite setting ambitious plans, he has yet to achieve any major breakthroughs in the Middle East situation or the Iranian nuclear issue, and he faces difficult choices regarding the war in Afghanistan.
Last month, Obama chaired a historic meeting of the UN Security Council, the first-ever summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and passed a U.S.-proposed resolution for a “world without nuclear weapons.”
Obama’s Acceptance Remarks
Obama delivered his “acceptance remarks” at the White House that day, stating that he would view the award as a “call to action.”
Obama said he was surprised by the win. He also expressed his humility: “This [Nobel Prize] is not a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather an affirmation of American leadership.” Obama added that he did not feel he deserved to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize.
However, Obama decided to accept the “honor.” “I will accept this award as a call to action,” Obama said.
The Nobel Committee stated that the core of Obama’s foreign policy is that “those who lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population,” and few people can capture the world’s attention and fill people with hope for a better future as Obama has.
Thorbjørn Jagland, Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, expressed hope that the award would help Obama resolve the issues in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Netizens Believe Obama is Underqualified for the Nobel Prize
The American magazine Time commented that Obama’s win was “stunning” because he had been in office for less than two weeks before the Nobel nomination deadline; thus, awarding him the Peace Prize now is “premature.” The Wall Street Journal, a mainstream U.S. newspaper, called the decision “downright bizarre,” questioning, “Why? For making peace with Hillary Clinton? For scrapping missile defense to please the Iranians? For sending more troops and weapons to Afghanistan?” The paper noted sarcastically: “The traditional formula is for the winner to have actually done something to promote peace before receiving the prize... but this innovative choice sweeps away the outdated notion of ’achievement before reward’.”
Taiwan’s “BCC News” quoted Professor Chen I-hsin of Tamkang University, who said Obama’s win was a “major upset” because the Peace Prize is usually awarded to those who have already achieved something or have persevered for many years despite not yet succeeding. For Obama to win after less than a year in office, just as his proposals for Middle East peace and nuclear disarmament were being introduced, is indeed “strange.” He even suggested that awarding the prize to Obama might be a “consolation prize” for his failed personal pitch for Chicago to host the Olympics. He remarked that giving the prize to Obama so early makes it look like a purely political decision. A spokesperson for Iranian President Ahmadinejad stated that if Obama were to give up the U.S. veto power at the UN Security Council, “that would show he truly deserves the award.”
According to AFP, Obama was still asleep when the Nobel Committee announced his win. After being awakened by his spokesperson, Obama said he felt “humbled.”
French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated Obama, stating that it marks America’s “return to the hearts of the people of the world.” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Obama for embodying a “new spirit of dialogue and engagement.” Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Obama has “rekindled hope for world peace.”
In fact, many commentators believe the Nobel Peace Prize Committee awarded the prize to Obama to encourage him to take “brave and friendly” diplomatic stances toward America’s enemies, rather than as a recognition of his “peace achievements.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that the Peace Prize is an “incentive” for Obama to contribute more to world peace. Martti Ahtisaari, the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of Finland, also said: “We do not yet have peace in the Middle East... clearly, they want to encourage Obama to make progress on these issues.” AFP quoted analysts on the 9th saying that if Obama cannot deliver on his earlier promises, this award might subject him to criticism or even “ridicule.”
Dana Allin, a senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that bestowing such an honor on someone who has been in office for only about 10 months is likely to invite criticism. He said: “Winning the Peace Prize so early, before he has accomplished anything, will trigger controversy. But this controversy should be directed at the Nobel Committee, not Obama.”
Paul Rogers, a professor at the Department of Peace Studies at Bradford University in the UK, said that while this is an “extraordinary” decision, it shows the Nobel Committee is trying to lend a hand to an unfinished process. “It is certainly surprising, but the Nobel Peace Prize is often awarded for what you might call a process, or something in progress, rather than an achievement already reached.” He said the Committee was impressed by Obama’s advocacy for a “nuclear-free world” and his efforts to put relations between the West and the Islamic world on a new footing. However, Rogers noted, “There is certainly a risk of it backfiring. I predict the Republican camp in the U.S. will voice strong opposition to this decision.”
Meanwhile, an online survey by Global Times (huanqiu.com) showed that 85.7% (5,210 votes) of Chinese netizens believe Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize win is “unconvincing,” and 89.9% (5,400 votes) believe Obama has not yet made concrete contributions to world peace. Some netizens commented: “Can someone be elected just for calling for a nuclear-free plan? Shouldn’t we see the results first? To be honest, I don’t feel Obama has taken any practical peaceful actions.” Another said, “For a country like the U.S. that starts wars everywhere to win a peace prize, people all over the world will be laughing their heads off.” Other netizens questioned the Nobel Peace Prize itself: “Actually, it’s not surprising; the so-called Nobel Peace Prize is just another tool used by the West to interfere in other countries.” “Why should we care so much about the Nobel? If we have the strength, we should create our own world-class awards. The Nobel Prize is just a game Westerners play among themselves.”
Responses from Various Parties
The White House immediately issued an official statement saying that Obama himself felt “humbled” to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Following the announcement of Obama’s win, leaders of various countries and organizations have responded:
Mohamed ElBaradei (Director General of the IAEA): Welcomed the result, believing Obama has changed people’s fixed perceptions and brought hope for peace to the world.
Nicolas Sarkozy (President of France): Stated that Obama’s win marks America’s renewed welcome by the international community.
Angela Merkel (Chancellor of Germany): Commented that Obama’s win is an inspiration for the cause of peace.
Silvio Berlusconi (Prime Minister of Italy): Expressed a warm welcome for Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, believing Obama has taught people to look at the world from a new perspective.
Martti Ahtisaari (Former President of Finland, previous Nobel Peace Prize laureate): Although surprised, he stated: “The Committee awarded the Peace Prize to Obama to encourage his efforts toward Middle East peace.”
Obama’s half-brother in Kenya: “It is an honor for the whole family. I am very happy someone in the family won. Congratulations, Barack.”
In contrast to the praise from the Western world, Muslim countries generally expressed surprise at the result.
Spokesperson for Iranian President Ahmadinejad: “We don’t find this result particularly special. We hope that after winning, he can do something practical to eliminate global injustice. If he can give up the U.S. veto power in the Security Council, that would prove the award is well-deserved.”
Afghan Taliban Spokesperson: Condemned the result, stating: “We initially thought Obama would adopt a different Afghan policy from the Bush administration, but now it seems they are no different. Obama winning the prize will not bring peace to Afghanistan.”
Source: http://news.sina.com.cn/z/2009Nobel/index.shtml
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