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70 comments from readers

Dade
09 October 2009 at 11:44

Mehdi, I'm as suprised as you are that Obama got it this year and I bet even he is as well. The Nobel commitee guys could have given him a few years to achieve something as you said.

But I actually think there is some merit to this award and I doubt if you will disagree. As they said in their citation, he has "created a new climate in international politics".

He has to some good extent played up the relevance of diplomacy and lowered the temperature of the Bush era's hardline gung-ho worldview a bit.

Maybe not a strong enough reason, but a good enough reason all the same.

Congratulations Barack!

rs
09 October 2009 at 11:47

what a joke! how was he even nominated he wasnt even in office 2 weeks when the nomination deadline occured! He hadnt done anything! I call B.S.! lol

Boog
09 October 2009 at 11:48

It's Sweden Mehdi. And yes, it's a farce, but the footsteps of Kissinger - well Gordon Brown had a love in with him a few weeks ago. What can you expect..

Boog
09 October 2009 at 11:50

My error. Norwegian committee, Swedish Prize. The quality of judgement is consistent though..

Nilesh Bhattad
09 October 2009 at 11:56

Peace prize after completing a year full of drone attacks on Pakistan and Afganistan, which apart from killing terrorist also killed many civilians. I guess the nobel is given as candy expecting him to do something for peace. a bribe for peace!!!

The sudden change in image of president which Mr. Bush has created disguised The Nobel selection committee.

c.s.athauda
09 October 2009 at 12:04

I'm reminded of an article Tariq Ali wrote a long while ago about Jimmy Carter getting the prize. Obama has killed less, so far, I suppose:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/dec/07/usa.comment

Gabriel Fleming
09 October 2009 at 12:24

How wonderfully self-important of you. You are rubbing your eyes in disbelief that those plebs at the Nobel Peace Prize Committee dared ignore the great Mehdi Hasan? You might get a little more of the global impact you clearly crave if you got your basic facts right and didn't get Sweden and Denmark confused.

Perhaps engaging rather than demonising Muslims and making unprecedented strides in nuclear disarmament and universal healthcare provision may explain why he won. Premature maybe; worthy definitely. Get over yourself.

tim
09 October 2009 at 12:40

if Obama gets the peace prize then i am going to ask for a review of the prize for the litrature award. The shopping list i agonised over last evening has contributed more to the world of litrature than Obama has to world peace

(and given how little money i have to mange on i think i should alos be eligible for the economics prize too)

Johnny Gigs
09 October 2009 at 12:46

In the words of Bugs Bunny, "WHAT A SHAM! WHAT A FRAUD! WHAT A MAROOOOON!

tim
09 October 2009 at 12:51

Gabriel, you are wrong on who awarded the peace prize, Mehdi said Norwegian not Danish, and he is correct.

"Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, (Nobel) said the peace prize should be given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Sweden and Norway were united under the same crown at the time of Nobel's death

Michael Sense
09 October 2009 at 13:01

Nice article Mehdi. Keep talking sense to these people.

I'd love to know where people who believe Obama deserves the award get their information from - it must be the Great Propaganda Machines (mainstream television and newspapers).

If anyone did even a small amount of research (or used their heads a little) they'd see Obama stands for anything but Peace. Expanding the fictional war on terror (chasing an enemy they are constantly creating by killing innocents - nice little scam) and taking peoples rights away and socializing America sounds more like an unofficial declaration of War.

People are so stupid that they'll not even acknowledge the massive disparity between words and actions. It's simple: Judge on what they do, not on what they say.

Like Peter Schiff said: "Obama is Bush's 3rd term."

In the spirit of that, I hope Bushama enjoy "their" award.

If any politician in America deserved the award it's Ron Paul, a man who has stayed consistent and against undeclared wars and stood up for peoples' rights for 30+ years in Congress, now.

But, of course, he's old, white, of substance, genuine, and the media didn't create him - all things the supercial West now despises. Plastic people.

kinashnash
09 October 2009 at 13:09

Awarding Obama the Nobel Peace Prize is another joke coming in the wake of Chicago debacle, I think the award team were bribing Obama for failing to land the Chicago for Olympics 2016. You dont award intentions but actions, maybe someone is confusing rhetorics with achievement.

tim
09 October 2009 at 13:11

New Nobel awards announced

Economics - Lehman brothers

Litrature - Dan Brown

Thomas
09 October 2009 at 13:11

What, you thought they'd run it by the New Statesman before they decided?

J A Cartwright
09 October 2009 at 13:22

The biggest problem with this award is that everything Obama now does will appear to be under the approval of the Norwegian committee. What if he continues to delay decisions regarding suspects detained in Guantanamo? That's OK, he's on the right track -- he's got a Peace Prize, don't you know. What if he pours more troops into Afghanistan while still refusing to declare what a successful mission would entail? That's OK, it's all in the name of peace!

The saddest thing is that we liberals still hold out hope for Obama acheiving something good while in office. This award will only fuel the Obama propaganda machine which is alienating his original supporters and which is preventing any constructive debate about his policies.

P.S. I admit I haven't read your article yet, Mr Hasan. Vagaries of the postal service to blame...

Bill
09 October 2009 at 13:25

Good choice. Robert Mugabe was in second place and there are no CIA drones flying over Sweden.

Bill N.
09 October 2009 at 13:28

LOL!.....can't.....stop.....laughing....the....absurdity.....LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Henning Hansen
09 October 2009 at 13:31

It's a joke, or at least it should be. Apparently the requirements for a Nobel Peace Prize have now been revised to:

1) Be a nice guy (he's nicer than Bush to be sure, not that that is much of an achievement).

2) Be black (let's be realistic he wouldn't have the prize if he wasn't).

I've got nothing particular against Obama but what has he achieved in terms of world peace so far? Nothing. Very close to nothing. They should have waited 5 or 10 years to see if he actually succeeds in any peace initiatives first, then maybe considered him.

He was nominated for this prize on Feb. 1st '09 after a whopping 9 days in office during which he apparently delivered significant progress towards world peace?

The Nobel committee has just spat on previous recipients like Nelson Mandela & Mikhail Gorbatchev who labored their whole lives for a more peaceful world and achieved real results.

This decision devalues the Nobel Peace Prize itself. I will not be able to think of the Peace Prize the same ever again.

Travis
09 October 2009 at 14:13

HE DOESN'T DESERVE IT!!!!

WE_R_IDIOTS
09 October 2009 at 14:34

Obama was only in office for TWO WEEKS before the nominations were FINISHED!

What is in the WORLD did he do in TWO WEEKS? This is absolutely a TOTAL FARCE!

OBAMA IS A WANNBE! ALL TALK AND NO SUBSTANCE! HE IS A USED CAR SALESMAN IN A POLITICIANS CLOTHING!

This has got to be the MOST RIDICULOUS thing I have ever seen.

The man is a joke and people will say all kinds of things about you if you just call this guy what he is and that is a FAKE, PHONY, and BLOWHARD.

This is so political it is not even funny, it is actually very frightening!

tom
09 October 2009 at 14:54

The only thing Obama has done is fly around the world and apoligized for the last eight years. He has not done anything at all as president. This just cheapens the nobel prize. The only reason he got this award is because he is the first black president. The deadline for concideration of the prize was 12 days into his presidency. Now i know he did not create peace in 12 days. Heck it took God 7 days to create the world.

Tom
09 October 2009 at 15:33

Let's see. Jimmy Carter gets the award for brokering a deal with the North Koreans to eliminate their nuclear weapons. (we later find out that he was the biggest dupe in history and was just used). Al Gore gets the award for writing a book about which he has no scientific background or training, and which has so many "Inconvienient Lies" in it as to make it irrelevant. (About all you can say about Al's crusade is that it has made him filthy rich), And, now Obama gets the prize for giving speeches. There was once a man in Germany that could give hair raising speeches and keep his followers riveted to their seats. They cheered and cried when their chosen one entered a sports arena and began his uplifting and inspiring oratory. (sound familiar?). We all know how that ended. What has Obama done except speeches? Has he devoted his life to feeding the children or building homes for the poor? (at least Carter has him there). Has he traveled the world to try to end disease or to build schools? No, he devoted his life to community organizing and building his power base. And now, we have speeches. In his own words, "Just Words". Take a look of the accomplishments of the other nominees and you will be hard pressed to find many that deserved this award less than Obama.

sergiodeathstar
09 October 2009 at 16:00

Obama himself isn't what matters. Politics are about policies, and his administrations policy record doesn't diverge nearly as much as you would hope from George W.

This prize just reinforces the dominance of personalities in politics, which keeps the people ignorant of the issues. It's not a democracy, its an advertising contest.

Rowdy Boots
09 October 2009 at 16:07

The Nobel Committee is a bunch of lunatics. They are using the great award to play politics and their ludicris deliverance ot this monumental honor denigrates the award.

OBAMA IS NOT GOD.

OBAMA IS NOT THE MESSIAH.

OBAMA HAS DONE NOTHING FOR PEACE, IF ANYTHING HE HAS DRIVEN US CLOSER TO WWIII.

NOBEL, THY NAME IS WORTHLESS.

ROWDY BOOTS

Duece
09 October 2009 at 16:34

I think perhaps we are seeing the first application of 'affirmative action' to the Nobel Peace Prize selection process.

Dave
09 October 2009 at 17:19

Obama's accomplishments: Closed Gitmo? NO. Pulled troops out of Iraq? No. Changed strategy in Afghanistan? No. Solved the Middle East problem? No. Stopped Iran's nuclear ambitions? No. Well, at least he has increased the deficits for us and the national debt four fold for our children! PATHETIC POLITICS BY THE COMMITTEE!!!!

Fidza Hasha
09 October 2009 at 17:34

Who else is more deserving for the world peace prize this year. Give this oyung man a break. He has changed the world, and will continue to do so. Who would have thought America would talk to iran? Who would have thought America would do away with Guantanamo? Who would have thought that America would have socialist based health system to deliver benefits to those ignored and sidelined by histroy since time immemorial.

DeDe
09 October 2009 at 17:46

This is the biggest joke of the year...what is peace and how has he achieved this honor?..unable to keep the peace in his own city of Chicago much less around he world...and giving him this award shames the prize itself

HERY
09 October 2009 at 17:53

WHAT A JOKE ,NEXT THE WILL MAKE HIM A SAINT,AMERICA WAKE UP

Manju
09 October 2009 at 17:59

IT IS A JOKE OF THE CENTURY.

KO
09 October 2009 at 18:59

James Burnham called liberalism "the ideology of Western suicide." Obama is already a saint of liberalism. That is why they gave him the award.

Graham
09 October 2009 at 19:35

Nothing against the guy, but of all the people in the world that deserved this, I can see no reason why Obama got this award, it makes a total farce of what the prize stands for.

Tron
09 October 2009 at 20:07

To: Fidza Hasha,

In your statement about this (oyung man?) and what he wants for America to have, not would have! And the following five words, "SOCIALIST based health system", is the only truth to your message.

Rick
09 October 2009 at 20:46

I would like to inform anyone who thinks Obama deserves ANY award; much less a prestigious one, that they need to WAKE UP!! PULL YOUR HEAD OUT

Holly-Go-Lightly
09 October 2009 at 20:49

Juding by the general response to this award I think the Nobel Committee may have actually done Obama a disservice. It's making people ask the question - what did he do? Of which the answer is - nothing yet. But closing Guantanamo, addressing climate change etc are not things that can be done quickly so perhaps the award is just premature. Or perhaps they did it to put pressure on him to follow through on his promises?

Wing Chun
09 October 2009 at 21:10

Malcolm X said it's not the white man that's the problem, but the white racist attitude. A black man can have a colonial attitude too, you know. What a sell out.

leechestheology
09 October 2009 at 21:22

Are you people kidding you get a nobel price for closing Guantanamo and "addressing climate change" again addressing not changing it,and etc.. Etc what?Like the peace archived in Afghanistan?

If you get a Nobel price for this than hell Berlusconi should get a Nobel price to for "contributing" and "helping" prostitutes.

leechestheology
09 October 2009 at 21:23

Cults of the new era.

leechestheology
09 October 2009 at 21:28

Afghans will be delighted after all he kept invading them as Bush did.

Eoghan
09 October 2009 at 21:49

What a farce! The illusion of Obama, he's a marketing dream. While saying one thing he's continues to do the other, "Change" what change????

what a joke
09 October 2009 at 22:30

well damn if he can have one hell i want one to.ill make a bunch of promises and create a man made ression aswswell and when it fixes it self ill take credit aswell

Ann Arbor, MI
09 October 2009 at 22:31

One more example of a triumph of "The Cult of Personality" and shadows of "late Rome". Our leadership becomes increasingly hollow, verbose and detached from reality. Food and entertainment for the masses while the elites vote themselves greater compensation, awards and honorary degrees. The President would gain real respect and bring honor to the Office and the County if we were to politely thank Norway for the prize, but turn the prize down. It is one thing to award a 5 year old for playing Field Hockey at the end of the season for merely showing up regularly to play on the field, it is another matter entirely to award a prize for "a field of dreams".

Rhonda
09 October 2009 at 22:59

Everyone knows the Nobel Peace Prize has long ago ceased to be prestigious. This is a joke, just as Al Gore winning it was a joke. The prize is only awarded to individual or groups who have a certain political ideology. The Nobel Peace Prize should be renamed "The Award For Those Who Propagate Socialist Ideas"

For God's sake, Obama hasn't done anything but speak and whine about what he has inherited. I think Yasser Arafat is in good company. Absurdity.

Holly-Go-Lightly
09 October 2009 at 23:36

I don't think you can compare Berlusconi and Obama. The award given to Obama is ridiculous but that's not Obama's fault, that's the committee's fault. I don't think Obama himself believes that he truly deserves such an honour.

Lansing, MI
10 October 2009 at 00:34

I think it's pretty cool and he has done a good job so far in very difficult circumstances. He ought to get some kind of prize for trying to clean up Bush's mess, the man has a lot of courage and conviction.

rajendra C
10 October 2009 at 01:17

I do grasp, New Statesman is a publication that is volatile yet reasonable. You do back up what you say but I find your articles one sided.

Is Islamic activity around the world fabulously progressive to a better planet for us all? I say this because I was thinking you speak against anything counter Islamic activity to the point that some form of positive progression is being halted.

I'll dare you in fact. We're back in High School where we all take on identities for fear of being outcasts. Here's my dare to you since I see you identity as such. Write something about the Taliban Drug Trading activities or Iranians revolting against the Ayatollah or exploitation of Western Muslims in and around Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I dare you to do so because it's chilling to see such utter bias.

I could be wrong but could you show me if I am.

p.s. please don't direct me to your talk of an Islamic state. I just took that as generic rhetoric from the Islamic narrative of defining Islam by a Muslim part 445,434,343,443,434,343,434.

Grunchliek
10 October 2009 at 04:11

What a joke!

I guess you have to save a dog or a cat from shelling or something before you get this prize!

What has he done? nothing...zip...nada

For this guy to get a peace price is like giving Stalin a humanitarian award!

What a joke the nobel committee has become!

The Wulf
10 October 2009 at 06:36

If an ineligible man can be elected President of the United States, what surprise is there in that same ineligible man being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

rajendra C
10 October 2009 at 12:14

Oh and I think it's missed on everyone but he won it for his work on nuclear disarmament and European and Asian relationships.

I thought that was obvious but since it wasn't - any recommendations for somebody who was far more worthy?

Gideon Polya
10 October 2009 at 14:02

According to UNICEF (see: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html ) 338,000 under-5 year old Occupied Afghan infants die each year, 90% avoidably and due to war criminal non-supply of life-sustaining food and medical requisites unequivocally demanded of Occupiers by Articles 55 and 56 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (see: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/y4gcpcp.htm ) .

90% of 338,000 = 304,000 under-5 year old Occupied Afghan infants die avoidably each year due to US war crimes under Obama - i.e. 304,000/365 = 833 per day or 833/day x 262 days = 218,000 avoidable Occupied Afghan under-5 infant deaths in the 262 days in which Obama has been in office.

In awarding a Nobel Peace Prize to Obama who is complicit in the passive mass murder of over 200,000 innocent infants in Occupied Afghanistan alone (so far) - the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is saying, like Big Brother in George Orwell's "1984", that "War is Peace".

Nobel Peace Laureate Obama is complicit in US Alliance mass infanticide in a swathe of occupied countries including Occupied Haiti, Occupied Somalia, Occupied Palestine, Occupied Iraq and Occupied Afghanistan - UN Population Division data indicate that post-invasion under-5 infant deaths in the Occupied Palestinian, Iraqi and Afghan Territories total 0.2 million, 0.6 million and 2.3 million, respectively: http://mwcnews.net/content/view/29844/26/ ).

Andrew P
10 October 2009 at 16:25

Obama should not have got the whole prize for himself. The Nobel Committee should have given credit to the two men who did the most to make the Great Obama what he is today. He should have had to share it wilth Axelrod (who engineered his campaign), and the terrorist Bill Ayers (who launched Obama's career and ghostwrote his book).

Anyway, now that he has his prize, Obama is free to be a warmonger, in the name of Peace of course.

qaz
10 October 2009 at 16:58

what is inconsistent in all the vehement posts so far (and in the article itself) is that such a fiercely skeptic (rather than critical) position against obama is strangely paired with a naive, reverent opinion on the price itself. I never thought the guinness book of records was any more kitsch-folklore than this good guy of the year award that honoured Th. Roosevelt, Kissinger or Gore...

Mr. Ed
10 October 2009 at 23:54

I hear that McDonals' is giving away Nobel Peace Prizes in every Obama Happy Meal. Get yours today! What a J O K E!

Homam
11 October 2009 at 12:53

I understand the Norwegians point of veiw but I agree it's far too early to award him anything. He should have declined it!

Daniele
11 October 2009 at 12:58

Somebody says the Nobel prize Committee give the Prize only to Socialists. What? like Henry Kissinger?No it appears to be totally random, I suppose to please everybody. The result of course is that it pleases no one.

As to Obama, he is the nice human face of the same old ugly America.A PR triumph which has fooled so many!

Brian
11 October 2009 at 20:03

If, as an American, you were happy to see Pres. Obama's brief advocacy for the 2016 Olympics in USA fail, then your judgment is clouded. If you see your commander-in-chief as a black man first, your judgment is tainted. The legacy of our last commander-in-chief is well known. If we step outside our fish bowl called America, we may quickly understand that the rest of the world know us well and share a deeply vehement distrust of our government. We remain obtuse and arrogant. Now comes a man who speaks of peace, arms reduction, respect for the sovereignty of nations, agrees to the Kyoto Protocol, and engages in dialogue. He has changed world respect for US though many are still skeptical. The landscape of global diplomacy has radically changed for the better ... by words mostly ... from the US President. Christ, a man of Peace, was crucified by those with clouded, tainted judgment. Pres. Obama is merely a man but he has demonstrated courage and leadership deserving of the Nobel. Aren't ya proud to be American?? The results are in. The US, the world aggressor with a big stick now speaks of mutual respect and cooperation on global solutions. A new thing!! Crucify him said the Pharisees.

Tobias
12 October 2009 at 02:02

That was very nicely put, Brian. Thanks.

Doug
12 October 2009 at 06:51

Well, this is what I emailed to the Nobel Committee the instant I heard this outrageous news:

You lying bastards! President Obama has achieved no such things and you have disgraced the great traditions of the Nobel Peace Prize in one ugly propaganda stunt. In case you Nobel people have been living under a mushroom, the USA under its new president is still running its two multi-trillion-dollar wars, both of which are entirely unjustifiable. Just as George W. Bush would like it. The USA has not pulled out of Iraq or Afghanistan, is seriously agitating for increased military commitment there, and has not closed Guantanamo Bay - nor will it. Obama so far is merely a clone of G.W. Bush, a nodding puppet and serf to the real controllers of America: the Pentagon and the US arms industry.

Obama has achieved nothing but more fiery and baseless rhetoric about Iran being the world's greatest threat, especially nuclear, whilst constantly omitting to mention America's massive nuclear arsenal of over 60,000 weapons. Or of nearby Israel's hundreds more.

Obama has recently moved some nuclear weapons from Russia's doorstep. But not away from them, onto ships which can float just as dangerously close. I have not seen where America has disposed of one single nuclear weapon yet, nor do I ever expect to see this.

President Obama is basically a good man with great oratory skills, but is probably the last person on earth today who should be awarded the Nobel Prize for peace. Millions are dead from the dreadful Bush legacy and President Obama is retaining and prolonging this juggernaut of death.

How dare you disgrace this wonderful prize so flippantly. Who endowed you with the rights to trash and debase the integrity of the Nobel Peace Prize? This award makes a mockery of all previous Peace Prize awards and denudes future winners from any chance of authenticy. No wonder the Nobel Peace Prize founder was the man who invented dynamite. Very apt in this case.

Ayla
12 October 2009 at 06:55

I just did the Obama Peace Prize poll and asked if there was a purse involved? I realised lazy so went on Nobel Prize site: 10 million dollars. He gets 10 million dollars. Hope he gives it to the families in Iraq who have lost loved ones.

mitchy
12 October 2009 at 11:37

Poor old Nobel must be spinning in his grave, the spirit and the letter of the original awards has been completely lost.

We should be seeing awards for tackling climate change, biodiversity loss etc, something worthwhile perhaps.

Trond, Norway
12 October 2009 at 18:01

Wish I was not from Norway :-(

...The shame...

Marie
12 October 2009 at 20:53

What a joke. What has he done to deserve this, nothing. Nobel peace prize is nothing now.

Vishal
14 October 2009 at 07:46

He is giving off Billions of dollars to Pakistan to develop nukes and buy weapons to use against India and gets rewarded with Nobel Peace Prize……Joke Of the year…

BMart
16 October 2009 at 07:34

Obama hasn't done s***. Reagan brought an end to the Cold War. Ripped down the Berlin Wall. Helped destroy thousands of nuclear weapons... and he didn't even win it.

WTF??

leechestheology
19 October 2009 at 02:37

@Brian try to tell that at Afghans how he changed the world.The rest are you serious? The world respect changed because they are justifying the history.Yet Obama is another politician following same agendas of the rest, bailing out the owner of this country, and keep up with Afgan war.Basically what changed was the color the faces remain the same.

TL
22 October 2009 at 17:09

I voted for Obama and I have to admit, this is shameful.

The Nobel Peace Prize should have value and should be given to those who have made great strides in world peace.

Obama has done nothing to deserve this, this a mockery.

The Nobel Peace Prize is now just another useless ornament.

collgrant01
31 October 2009 at 18:51

It's a joke that someone put his name in the hat only 2 weeks after being in office. College Grants For Single Mothers

Joe
03 November 2009 at 21:49

No, it's not a joke. A joke is something that's funny. This isn't. This is just plain pathetic. The Nobel Peace Prize has become a meaningless award, by presenting it to someone with zero accomplishments. Of course, he did get elected president with the same blank resume.

zhane
11 November 2009 at 19:15

los3r

Disdain4BHussein
16 November 2009 at 01:18

Well, we now all see what this ass-clown is truly made of... ACORN, Geithner, Fort Hood, self professed Muslim and the list goes on.

Mark my words... this man will single-handedly tear down one of the greatest nations in the world. I loathe the very thought of him being our President.