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Obama says he'll accept Nobel Peace Prize as 'call to action'

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America celebrates with you, Mr. President!

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what? isn't that way too early?

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"isn't that way too early?"

Nah...

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Call to action? How about him leading by example and showing us action instead of hope?

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"Call to action" maybe he'll actually DO something now. I understand Nobel encouraging this kind of internationalisation and engagement, but Obama really hasn't achieved anything yet, just lots of talk and very little substance. By talk I mean speeches, there has been very little engagement on the ground with Iran, Israel-Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea and so on.

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Next, I guess they'll give the Nobel Prize for Medicine to some researcher who gives a nice talk about WANTING to cure cancer, or the prize for literature to an author who is starting to write his first novel.

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Obama says he'll accept Nobel Peace Prize as 'call to action'

Since you got the prize before you had actually done anything...

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hmm, maybe i could win it next time as i can talk about doing lots of things too !!!

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This is ridiculous. he hasn't really done a darn thing.

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Next, I guess they'll give the Nobel Prize for Medicine to some researcher who gives a nice talk about WANTING to cure cancer, or the prize for literature to an author who is starting to write his first novel." ouch, that's cold!

He says he'll accept the prize, well, why not? 1.4Mil is a nice amount. I bet Hillary is pissed.

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I would say Obama has done enough,to cure the bush administration faults, to earn this 1 million something USD award.

This is too little,it should much bigger.

May be other foundations/world's richest can join up with Alfred Nobel's charity foundation ,to up prize money given out.

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Cool thinking by the prize-givers.

Obama will definitely go down in history as the first black president of the USA. He will possibly go down in history as the black president who either made things worse, or fixed Bush's mess. He might even go down in history as the one who helped heal a war-striken world, though I doubt it.

But whatever happens next, no-one will forget that Obama made promises about his and his country's future actions when it comes to war and nuclear disarmament. If he breaks that promise the whole world will know about it, and he'll go down in history as the scumbag who ripped off a world that wanted peace.

Poor bloke doesn't stand much of a chance with all the fingers pointing at him, does he.

Good luck to him.

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Lets not forget they also gave one to Kissinger! This prize is sooo meaningless.

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I think President Obama is a person of great character and I respect him highly but giving him the Nobel Peace Prize at this point just doesnt seem right. In fact, it's just down right odd... as may of his staff also think. President Obama was surprised too! If no one deserves the Nobel Peace Prize it shouldnt be handed out to anyone. In my mind the "value" of the Nobel Peace Prize seems to have gone down quite a bit in my book. I honestly think that President Obama has enough character and motivation to make the US and the world a better place without getting the Nobel Peace Prize. I think the nobel committee needs to rethink their selection process in the future. I was surprised to hear the Gandhi never got the Nobel Peace Prize!! Now that's bizarre!

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This is ridiculous. he hasn't really done a darn thing.

Heh, if you think thats bad, he could have been in office for a maximum of 12 days before nominations closed. So based on the humongous efforts he made in promoting peace around the world during those 12 days... He apparently is deserving of this award.

I'm actually embarrassed about this more then anything. Embarrassed for Obama, for the US, and especially for the Nobel Prize committee, who today proved themselves once again, irrelevant. Giving it to Carter and Gore was pretty horrible. Giving it to a known terrorist was worse. But giving it to a man who has done nothing, when there are others who actually deserve the prize says more about the committee then it does about Obama.

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A chicago poster hit a home run with the following. "The Chicago democrat machine ain't what it used to be. They were supposed to bribe the Olympic Committee, not the Nobel Committee!"

That is just priceless!

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Ha! Good sentiments Dammit.

My take on the whole thing is that, well, if I had a peace prize to give, and there was some guy who had the potential to really do something great, then why give the prize to someone who kind of did something a few years ago? You give your hero a magic sword and shield BEFORE the battle, not AFTER. Are these desperate times? I don't know, but it makes sense to use the prize as an investment rather than a gift. That is what the Norwegians are doing.

Other analogies are that, if you start applauding someone who MIGHT do something great, you are pretty well assured of embarrassing them into making their best efforts to avoid becoming a t**brg*r. OR, if you have a guy who is running with the ball, you block for him. Don't wait to cheer until he is in the end zone. So the prize shows that the world is watching Obama with great expectations.

And really, this is it. He ain't gonna get two of them. They will give it to some person next year who would not and could not do what Obama might accomplish. People will yawn and sip their coffee and reflect on what Obama has done "since getting that prize last year".

Having the President think every day about PEACE will make this world a better place. Nobel would have wanted it that way.

NOTE Martin Luther King received a Peace Prize in 1964. He gave all 50,000 dollars or so of the money to the civil rights movement, and went on to do great things.

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"He ain't gonna get two of them"

I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

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"I guess they'll give the Nobel Prize for Medicine to some researcher who gives a nice talk about WANTING to cure cancer,"

If you pay attention, you will note that the recipients OFTEN, in fact MAINLY, get prizes before their ideas have an impact. The prizes are usually awarded for fundamental work that people build on later. There are notable exceptions, like John Nash, and Black and Scholes, who had very far reaching ideas that took decades to become commonplace, but especially in medicine and the sciences, actual products of discoveries can be a decade or more away. Watson and Crick -- 1962, Pauling--1954. It was about 50 years from Watson and Crick to definition of the human genome.

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"The Chicago democrat machine ain't what it used to be. They were supposed to bribe the Olympic Committee, not the Nobel Committee!" Good to see a sense of humour in the US. We don't see enough of it around here. Too many people taking themselves way too seriously. (Sledge Hammer! only survived two seasons). The Nobel Prize is usually for some vague accomplishment in the past, not some action you just might do in the future. At this rate I have an outside chance of the Fysics award next year. (Sorry, Physics)

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bgaudry Is your glass half empty?

He has already done more for strategic disarmament re Russia than Bush did in eight years. Russia considered a missile defense system as a first strike weapon. Obama eliminates that system, which has dubious effectiveness, so now the Russians want to talk disarmament. That was easy. It was what Europe wanted anyway. The US STILL HAS thousands of launch vehicles for MIRVs. land-based ICBMs alone are about 550. Reducing those and using the warheads for fuel should be a swords-into-plowshares program to reduce US dependence on foriegn oil.

If Obama has not solved Iran and Korea yet, well too bad, but a single Peacekeeper missile has 10 MIRVs, which is greater than those countries' aggregate capabilities anyway.

Or is your glass half-full?

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Suu Kyi has yet to see her goals comes to fruition, but nobody would say that she didn't deserve the prize, right?

This is a Peace Prize, not a literature prize. The Peace Prize is awarded based on the efforts one makes. Writing a novel is something usually done by one person. Maybe a team finds a cure to a disease. However, actually world peace is something we all must work for together. The prize is awarded to the person who can unite and inspire people. In this light, Obama has justly received this award.

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Suu Kyi has suffered for decades for what she believes in. Obama won an election and was in office for 12 days, come on!! Maybe in a few years, but so soon and so little to support it. Seems fishy.

Maybe Nobel wanted free publicity and glitz. I mean they have guaranteed a speech by Obama at the ceremony. We'll also get to watch charisma man dance with his wife again....................

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Obama told reporters ... he wasn’t sure he had done enough to earn the award

Only took him nearly 10 months to finally say something truthful.

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Obama's being rewarded for his "efforts" rather than his "successes". The Nobel Peace prize has become American Idol but without the talent.

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If the chosen one had any self respect he would graciously decline the award.

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RomeoRamenII :" barack can promise whatever he wants. The rookie senator from Illinois will never get nominated".

Kinda puts your shrill anti Obama rhetoric in perspective. Yes efforts are more important than success cause without the first you will never get the second.

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The Nobel Peace Prize lost all credibility (IMHO) when the award went to Yasser Arafat.

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so much hate and negativity towards one man.

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Question: Aside from spewing his hopey/changey rhetoric, what did Obama actually do that made the world different, i.e., a better place to live, between the day he was sworn into office on Jan. 20th and Feb. 1st, the day he was selected? What were the rock solid accomplishments by Obama that changed the world in less than two weeks?

Answer: nothing

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Look. The haters and the doubters need to get real. President Obama used "I" or "me" something like 16 times in the 10 sentences he used to accept the Prize, alright.

He means business.

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Read that, nominated, not selected.

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It's starting to makes sense why Obama has been dithering on the Afghanistan troop request. A 40,000-troop surge would not go over well with the Nobel voters. He probably knew he was on the short list for this prize, which would also explain the timing of him turning his back on our allies by dumping the missle shield defense for Eastern Europe: more appeasement to the NPP committee.

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Heh, I can't really see what all the fuss is about, but the news certainly seems to have the rats shrieking down in the basement at an amazingly higher pitch than usual.

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Haha Kapuna. Begin got one (I think), and he was a terrorist before Yasser was. I was under the impression that Begin, Sadat, and Carter shared one... but I might be wrong. When one considers how hard it is to be a peacemaker these days without getting your hands bloody, well..

Teddy Roosevelt got one. Woody Wilson got one too. They were not wallflowers.

Norinrad...you really ARE the surfer! I thought so.

I am not going to insist that this is all business as usual. Giving prizes to INCITE people to do the right thing seems like a great idea. It will work with some people. Others, not so much.

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Heh, I can't really see what all the fuss is about, but the news certainly seems to have the rats shrieking down in the basement at an amazingly higher pitch than usual.

lol. I'm proud of the company I'm keeping on this. People from both sides, both Dems and Reps are stunned by this stupidity. Thats really the nicest way to describe the Nobel committee. And Obama for accepting it. Its a sad day when only the hardcore Obama supporters, the kool-aid drinkers are the only ones happy about this.

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You can work your entire life without complete success. What is success actually? It is the efforts put forth in achieving those goals which count. You can't expect Obama to do this all himself. People need to make efforts themselves to contribute to the cause. If Obama fixed the economy, created 7 Million new jobs, ended both wars, and oh yea world peace on top of it. People would still find something to complain about. Next thing you know if an agreement is made with Korea Obama will be accused of making deals with the enemy. You cannot expect changes to take place if no one is willing to see it through. To be in harmony with all is a goal but you have to plant the seeds which will get us there. I wish more world leaders were of this thinking. That would be a day to live for no doubt. I keep hoping this world wasn't just a bad experiment gone wrong with no real purpose. As long as we have people like Mr. Obama then I have at least some hope it wasn't all for not.

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What has Obama done? For starters he has done much to repair America's standing in the world. Why is this important? Simply put, nations are more likely to co-operate when they have confidence in American leadership.

Bush's failure to rally America's allies for war against Iraq was a result of the lack of confidence many allies had in Bush's leadership. The charge into Afghanistan did not lack support because the cause was clear and had popular support of many nations worldwide. The loss of confidence in American leadership has cost blood and treasure in America and many other countries. The regaining of that confidence is vital to America's security interests and by extension the interests of its friends and allies.

The awarding of the Peace Prize is a vote of confidence for America and Obama is correct in framing the prize in that way. Congratulations America!

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I still don't get it ,if people have confidence in Obama's America more than before then why US dollar keeps going down,down ..faster and faster? Where is the bottom? When gold hits usd 2,000/oz ? Anyway its not Obama's fault ,it is the controversial decision of NPP committee.

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Molenir, I don't think I could have said it better myself.

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Contratulations Mr President! We support you 110% keep ignoring these haters and naysayers. Keep it moving!

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Choosing Obama proves that hating America is an important requirement to the NPP committee.

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We don't need a such a long well worded speech from Obama, look here what Japanese say it in one sentence : "Okotobani amaesasete itadakimasu" !

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Can anybody tell me why Norway is giving this prize and not Sweden?

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Good job O! Many Americans will rest easier now knowing that someday they might go back to work. I mean, intentions are what it is all about right?

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"Choosing Obama proves that hating America is an important requirement to the NPP committee."

That's the side you've chosen, molenir. The same as ever....

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"What has Obama done? For starters, he has done much to repair America's standing in the world"

America's standing in the world is still...

Checking...

Yeah, it's still #1.

"Can anybody tell me why Norway is giving this prize and not Sweden?"

Norway is even more leftist than Sweden?

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some14some ( 8:03PM ) - Har!

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The NPP committee must be joking when it claims Obama has performed any diplomacy other than appeasement and anti-Americanism.

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Wag the pony.

(Did anyone make it to the last five paragraphs?)

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I certainly wish all you Obama haters would stop whining. Now every dog's body is an expert on the Nobel Peace Prize process, offering their tired opinions and why the President does not deserve it. I say give us all a break! I suppose you would prefer to have a President that gets shoes thrown at him rather than one who is simply recognized for something positive.

It is no secret that Republicans want this President to fail. They have said it openly and applauded when Chicago lost the bid for the 2016 Olympics. Obama did not asked for this award neither did he in anyway lobbied or push for it. In fact the man was so surprised by the honor. I am sure an award of this nature can only operate for the good of America than any negatives.

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Well...at least this is new fodder for the right. Perhaps now they'll let the whole birther thing go.

Choosing Obama proves that hating America is an important requirement to the NPP committee.

Yep, nothing says, "I hate America" like giving the Nobel Peace Prize to an America. Wow.

Taka

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Obama did not asked for this award neither did he in anyway lobbied or push for it. In fact the man was so surprised by the honor.

Yet he choose to take it anyway.

Yep, nothing says, "I hate America" like giving the Nobel Peace Prize to an America. Wow.

Taka

Thought we had to earn it first myself Taka. Least that is the America I grew up in.

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Thought we had to earn it first myself Taka. Least that is the America I grew up in

grew up in america but didn't learn to read? look at the headline first, the read the history of those awarded the same 'honor'. 'the america I grew up in' doesn't exist anymore, sorry, it just happens that way, always has...ask your granpappy.

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But I guess now a Nobel Peace Prize is also going to be a "Gimmie" from now on.

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Obama is starting to look like 'Princess Diana' - a person who can seemingly do no wrong because the face, persona and verbal sweetness fit. Get rid of the face, persona and verbal sweetness ... and actually what ARE they doing? Only causing havoc behind the scenes. Tony Blair tried to adopt the 'care for all' Diana image and it dragged Britain into one hell of a mess.

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a Nobel Peace Prize is also going to be a "Gimmie" from now on

back to that tricky 'history' word again. google it, see how many undeserving people have been awarded the peace prize in the past. it has long been sullied, no excuse to bring your agenda into it.

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back to that tricky 'history' word again. google it, see how many undeserving people have been awarded the peace prize in the past. it has long been sullied, no excuse to bring your agenda into it.

Tell that to the Nobel Committee, my agenda is someone who has earned this award not his 'potential'. No excuse for you run away from that.

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It never ceases to amaze me how arrogant people here are. I guess they would rather have Mr. George W. Bush winning the Noble Peace Prize haha. At least Obama is making an effort more then I can say of the opposition. For the politicians that would rather see their country fail then it's president succeed should be fired from office. I have yet to hear anything they have good to say which is just shameful. This is just another reason why politics has no place in the world. I also find it almost laughable for those who ask why diplomacy is important. We are all talking on these forums aren't we? Some of you live in Japan who are foreigner right?

If attitudes hadn't changed even a little after World War II and diplomatic efforts put into place we might still be at war with Japan. Not to mention none of you would be speaking with me right now lol. The Berlin Wall would have never come down and the Soviet Union would still be in place. The US would likely not even be a country or at least one we recognize if diplomacy wasn't important. For anyone who values human life and a hope of a better future this is important. Obama isn't a miracle worker as we all have to play our part. It takes time and patience which most people don't have. The economy isn't going to fix itself overnight after all. If anything the Nobel Peace Prize represents is hope above all else. It's the efforts one puts forth in achieving those goals that counts.

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It never ceases to amaze me how arrogant people here are. I guess they would rather have Mr. George W. Bush winning the Noble Peace Prize haha. At least Obama is making an effort more then I can say of the opposition.

Obama is talking about reducing nuclear weapons. George W Bush went after terrorists. Which "weapon" is actually being used, nuclear bombs or terrorists?

Obama isn't a miracle worker as we all have to play our part.

Obama isn't a worker.

There, fixed it for you.

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List of people the Nobel committee passed over to give the NPP to Obama:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/10/meet_the_people_who_were_passe_1.asp

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Why is SNL mocking Obama? Why do they too side with the terrorists?

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Truly sad. Obama has done nothing to deserve this (other than appealing to people's "hope" for a different future). They should have given the award to someone who actually made a contribution, instead of someone who they think may in the future. There were many to choose from today.

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George W. Bush liberated how many Muslims?

Barack H. Obama gave how many speeches?

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Sarge - when you say"liberated", do you mean "killed or radicalised"?

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"he wasn't sure he had done enough to earn the award"

And yet he's going to accept it.

Ivan: "killed or radicalised?"

Neither one.

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George W. Bush liberated how many Muslims?

Let's think of this, how many people are no longer alive because of his actions? The only good thing that he has done, was to be so bad, that we'd look for a hope in either woman or black president.

Moderator: Readers, please stay on topic. George W Bush is not relevant to this discussion.

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I really wonder how many of the people who are so wrapped around the axle about Pres. Obamam winning the Nobel Peace Prize can name who won it last year without looking it up. I would also like to know how much their lives were impacted over any of the Nobel selections in the past and why this has their undies in such a bunch.

This is nothing more than a group of petulant children whining because a black man got something and they didn't anything.

They are losers who desperately need to grow up.

Taka

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Congratulations, President Obama.

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