http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/09...el-peace-prize/

The controversy over this has already started.

what exactly did he do to win? fly all over the world appologizing to countries that hate us?

Pretty much. Then again, I think Yasser Arafat also won one of these awards, so its merit is dubious at best.

What a joke this is. He said there would be change and the only change he has done so far was that he changs his clothes and underwear everyday. Maybe not lol.

He changed the amount Air Force One gets used...to constantly. Has he even seen the Oval Office yet?

so the nomination deadline was feb.1st. again, besides winning the Presidency, what did he do in less than two weeks?

This just in: the NCCA Heisman Trophy committee convened an emergency meeting last night for an unprecedented early season final vote. The winner is... Barack Obama!

Oh, and the NHL has cancelled the entire season and awared the Stanley Cup to... Barack Obama!

Wait, there's more! The current Miss America has been stripped of her title for failing to fulfill her duties! The tiara and sash will be passed to... Barack Obama!

But WAIT... this JUST in! A puff of smoke has appeared from the College of Cardinals! The new Pope of the Catholic church is... Barack Obama!

And the gold medal for the 100 meter dash in the 2008 Olympics has been stripped from Usain Bolt! The new, rightful owner of the medal is... Barack Obama!

Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmmm!!!!!!

Good one Vascu.

Obama is giving the prize money to charity, yeah what a selfish, unserving...




US President Barack Obama says he's honoured and humbled to win the Nobel Peace Prize and will accept it as a "call to action" to work with other nations to solve the problems of the 21st Century.

Mr Obama told reporters in the White House Rose Garden that he's not sure he's done enough to earn the award, or deserves to be in the company of the celebrated other laureates before him.

"To be honest, I do not feel I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honoured by this prize."

But, he said, "I will aceept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the challenges of the 21st Century."

Mr Obama won the award just nine months into his term, with the jury hailing his "extraordinary" efforts in international diplomacy and to hasten nuclear disarmament.

The gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.57 million) will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death in 1896 of the prize creator, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr Obama would give the prizemoney to charity.

Mr Obama said he was "humbled" by the distinction but criticism has already begun as to how the award could be given so quickly.

"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," the Nobel jury said in making the stunning announcement.

The committee attached "special importance to Mr Obama's vision and work for a world without nuclear weapons" and said he had created "a new climate in international politics."

Mr Obama, 48, took office on January 20 and has sought to restore US standing after widespread criticism over the war in Iraq and the world superpower's attitude to efforts to control global warming.

The first black American president has brought the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for a meeting, approved new diplomatic engagement with Iran, Myanmar and North Korea and signalled a new willingness to attack growing environmental problems.

Mr Obama went to Cairo to make a major speech on relations with the Muslim world, badly tarnished by President George W. Bush's order to invade Iraq. At the United Nations, he has launched an initiative to reduce the number of nuclear weapons.

The US president was awoken at 6am at the White House by his spokesman to be told of the award. An administration official quoted Mr Obama as saying he felt "humbled".

Mr Obama was honoured "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjoern Jagland said.

"We had no problem... It was a unanimous decision," he said.

The jury said: "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," it said.

"Thanks to Obama's initiative, the US is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic changes the world is confronting."

The committee said it was seeking to encourage Mr Obama's ideals rather than recognise concrete results.

Mr Jagland said: "It was unavoidable to give the prize to the man who has improved the international climate and emphasised negotiations and dialogue."

"Before he took office the situation was so dangerous. Step by step he has given the message to the world that he wants to negotiate on all conflicts, strengthen the United Nations and work for a world without any nuclear arms."

Poland's anti-communist leader Lech Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize, said it was too early to reward Mr Obama now.

"Who, Obama? So fast? Too fast - he hasn't had the time to do anything yet," Mr Walesa said.

"For the time being Obama's just making proposals. But sometimes the Nobel committee awards the prize to encourage responsible action."

In Afghanistan, Taliban militia spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the prize. "We have seen no change in his strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan."

"We hope that this gives him the incentive to walk in the path of bringing justice to the world order," a spokesman for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

Other world leaders said the distinction should be seen as an encouragement for Mr Obama.

UN's nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei, another past Peace Prize winner, said Mr Obama was the most deserving winner.

"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," said the outgoing director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"President Obama has provided outstanding leadership on moving towards a world free of nuclear weapons," he said.

The 2008 Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish president and veteran troubleshooter in international conflicts, said the award should "encourage" Obama's Middle East peace efforts.

"We do not yet have a peace in the Middle East... this time it it was very clear that they wanted to encourage Obama to move on these issues," Mr Ahtisaari said.

Asked whether it was too early to give Mr Obama the prize, Mr Jagland replied: "If you look at the history of the Peace Prize, we have on many occasions given it to try to enhance what many personalities were trying to do."

"The decision to go to Afghanistan had a unanimous UN mandate. The conflict in Afghanistan concerns us all. This is not only the responsibility of Barack Obama but hopefully this improved international climate could help resolve the conflict," he said.

Mr Obama is the third US president in office to win the award, after Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Former US president Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002.

The gold medal, diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.57 million) will be presented in Oslo on December 10, the anniversary of the death in 1896 of the prize creator, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.

Did he deserve it yet, no I don't think so, but you can't blame him for it, and he is handling it well.

Other than some nice fiery speeches I have no idea what he did to deserve it. On the other hand I have no clue what any leader or well known public leader (other than religous leaders) did to deserve the prize. Seems more like picking someone for a lesser negative than picking someone for the greatest positive.

i find it hard to think he was sooo surprised, he was picked for a reason...and obama was in the know.

I think everyone is getting too worked up over this. I'm not saying he deserves it by any means but jeez people need to relax. It seems like that's not possible with anything Obama related these days.

Agree 100%.

It's a totally useless award anyway. Yasser Arafat won it one year and Ghandi never did. Enough said. This is probably more of an f-you to George W. Bush than a praising of Obama.

It does sound like it's all politics, and that takes away from the integrity of the award. Not even Obama could believe he won.

And how exactly does Gore's work on global warming (regardless of your opinion on the subject) qualify him to win a Nobel PEACE prize, as he did last year? Where is the correlation between the temperature of the Earth and non-violence? You really think that if tomorrow we somehow found a way to prevent all weather-related disasters that people would stop bombing the crap out of each other?

not just him, but America.....thats the problem with it.

Uh definitely not. Obama is the elected American president who represents the American people. Just cause you don't like him doesn't mean that he doesn't represent us. And Bush had a 22% approval rating at the close of his 8 terms, so its not like the American people even liked him.

There is no way a Nobel Peace Prize given to an American President is an F-you to America.

It's not like Obama campaigned for the award. He won it more on his stance for peaceful outcomes than he did on any achievement of them. Like him or not Obama comes across as a charasmatic and peaceful man who speaks extremely well. My view is you should win for an achievement and that's why I'm critical of the award. But no one should be mad at Obama for winning this thing and I'm happy an American of any title got it.

Agreed 100%.

agree, personally im not mad...just don't understandhow one can be nominated12 days or so after taking office, then win in ...for possibly what he may do in the future? meanwhile ghandi couldn't win?

Good points.