How did Obama win The Nobel Peace Prize?

To be honest I kinda like the guy but I do not see how he won this award. The nominations for this award were submitted in February, the deadline 12 days after he stepped into office.


1) Why was he nominated after only 12 days in office?


2) What has he actually done, I admit he has good intentions and I personally think he will do alot, but at this moment I think this is a farce and cheapens the accomplishments of other Nobel Peace Prize winners, do you agree?|||Obama, himself, was surprised. You are not the only one.





It is more likely was a political move on the Prize committee.


It is a domino effect.


1) His attempt to get the Olympic into the US failed, hence it laid a shadow of creditability on him, and how he can achieve success in the Middle East.


2) in combination with his hesitation, delay, or lack of communication between him and his top leader in Afghanistan! Whatever the reason was, since the media and or our politicians majority of the time don't tell us what really is going on. Necessity to give him the leg up that he is attempting to get the peace without the war. Although, that delay may result into more failure and conflict. Europe see the US as the lead in War, not as the method that want to end the troubles.


3) add them up along with the reaction of people when he didn't the Olympic to the US. It was a boost to give him to get up, and to work.


4) It is most likely his name was added in in the last moments.





You are correct about the farce and cheapens of past awards.|||Lets see, he has even started any kind of peace process that would attempt to settle any of the numerous conflicts in the world (let alone solve any).....





.....so maybe it was his anti-American rhetoric in the UN. After all, anti-American rhetoric is popular in Europe these days and the Noble Peace Prize is a European invention.|||Yes I agree he's a farce and does cheapen the accomplishments of the deserving people who actually did something.





Giving the prize to Obama was simply a political ploy and nothing more.|||He is a marxist, just like the people that voted to give him the "prize"..also he is black.|||It's now the Nobel P.C. Prize and has been that for a long time. Either way he deserves it. He's the p.c. fairy tale prince and he is making naive gestures of peace.|||This question has been asked at least a thousand times in the past few days. If you are really interested in an answer I suggest that you review the many answers posted in response to the same question. Use the Yahoo Answers search mechanism.





That review should provide you with a wide range of opinions, some of which are very well thought out.|||by his efforts to bring down america.|||I was as surprised as anyone about this, but giving it some thought, I think that there may be several reasons for this move. (some quite brilliant if you think about it.)





1. He's NOT GWB; the rest of the world was NOT happy with "cowboy diplomacy" and the concept of "preemptive wars" - that is a dangerous concept. (If you think about it, EVERY war could be described as a "preemptive" war, should we allow THAT concept to catch on - really? - "preemptive" to one is "attack" to the other) If one gives a speech that names names, like "the axis of evil" then we start invading those countries, it only prompts the OTHER countries to arm themselves, countries that may very well be able to do a great deal of harm to not only us, but the rest of the planet as well - of all the not too bright things Bush said, this was hands down the stupidest.





2. He promised to get us back in line with things we should have NEVER gotten out of line with - torture, rendition, etc... Those things are not only against the law in THIS country, they are against international law, the Geneva Conventions. Perhaps this award is showing support for saying we would clean up our act.





3. He spoke of opening lines of communication for diplomatic talks among our "enemies" - that is a mature concept. Just because we have the ability to blow up the entire world 80 times over does not mean we should. To engage in this would destroy US as well as anyone else we perceive to be a threat.





4. We, as a nation grew from selling, owning and lynching blacks to electing one to the highest office in the country. Again, it shows growth, this time on the part of the entire nation (OK, maybe not the ENTIRE nation....) This would mean that it was given to US as a country - a reminder from the rest of the world that the world is NOT WASP - and DOES NOT HAVE TO BE, to be recognized as having rights equal to them.





5. It puts enormous pressure on him to not just talk the talk, but to actually walk the walk. (this was the brilliant move) He is now under intense pressure from the world community to DO what the said, to make every attempt to settle our differences with other countries with diplomacy. Regardless of what people might think, this is the RIGHT way to do things. Some just want the acknowledgment that they have a right to self-determination, just like we do. We don't HAVE to like everyone, or their leaders, but to acknowledge THEIR rights, well, sometimes that is all that is needed.





6. It is a reminder, from the world, that they are watching, and that they are supportive of the course he laid out, once again, we have the support of the world community, HOPEFULLY, we won't blow it this time.





I think their message was "you have made promises, NOW keep them".


The road to hell is pave with good intentions....





I agree that it is premature, perhaps undeserved (at this time anyway), especially since people like Gandhi have never received one, but I think they were sending a message to him as well as US, that we should go back to being the "sleeping giant" we once were, to keep our actions in check. We have a right to defend ourselves, but we do NOT have a right to bully the rest of the world.





I sincerely hope he EARNS the honor that has been bestowed upon him.