Comments on: How America won the Nobel Peace Prize

By: Thomas M Ricks

Thomas M Ricks — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:10:57 +0000

It’s all about the proverbial “slippery slope”, President Obama. You started down that course by your unearthy and immoral silence as US-assisted military aid went airborne with those Israeli jets and heliocopters and missiles over Gaza in Dec. 2008 and Jan. 2009 (and ever since) with the collective silence of the EU and other quartet members. Those three weeks sealed “your fate” as a person of principle and a leader of real vision (not verbal) for me…and many, many others.
By the time I heard your words from the Nobel podium, I was no longer hoping for the “change” that you so eloquently spoke of in 2008 and so sadly trashed in 2009. In an odd way, you did one good thing in your ignoble Nobel speech and that was to confirm that you have feet of clay after all is said and done, and, I can barely believe that I am writing this, that you are really no better than either Bush presidents…and a number of others.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:30:06 +0000

Paul — what this article (nor the critics in general) get, is that his speech’s main point is not about ‘defending war’ — its about how war (human conflict) and peace among countries (and amongst people in general) will always exist and that — realistically speaking — while one should strive for peace there will always be a time for both.

By: Dragan Karabasevic

Dragan Karabasevic — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:30:02 +0000

modern policy is ‘non sequitur’, which means irrational, to rhe roots. remember bush’s ‘gut policy’? problem is that irrationality is spreading beyond policy, like flu, so at the moment we ended up with peace prize from the gut. what is next, policy from the intestine?

By: estebanfolsom

estebanfolsom — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:32:05 +0000

war is always
a failure of diplomacy
nothing to be proud of
on the contrary
it only brings shame
to the participants
and needless suffering
to the innocents
never rejoice in it

By: Phillip Wilder

Phillip Wilder — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:42:28 +0000

Peace is war is war is peace – the historical experience seems to teach no one in government any longer -

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:21:33 +0000

You’ve got it right; vengeance and oil transit.

We haven’t got OBL (he’s been dead for 8 years); so no vengeance.

To get the rights (and protection) for the pipeline, you have to negotiate with, maybe, dozens of tribal groups, pay them and so on.

If it’s ever built, the US will be protecting it forever

By: Enzo

Enzo — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:04:42 +0000

I couldn’t stomach more than parts of two short excerpts of his speech. Is his capacity for hypocrisy really as boundless as it seems? Is his “understanding” of American foreign policy as brainwashed as it seems? Who the hell is this clown really? And when am I going to be able to stop lowering my opinion of him?

By: Christopher Hoare

Christopher Hoare — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:37:31 +0000

I wonder if any previous recipients of the Nobel will send it back. The committee has cheapened it morally. It would be a big sacrifice for any of them — but at least some should express disappointment.

C.Hoare