Why the Nobel Peace Prize?

Today, President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For what you say? According to the Nobel committed, for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people.” Have they not noticed that he’s only been President for nine months? Have they not noticed that he hasn’t really accomplished much of anything in his time in office with the exception of creating trillions more in debt for the children of the United States?

Honestly, I don’t hold this against Obama. I don’t know that it is something that was actively pursued. Heck, as JayTea at Wizbang pointed out, the nomination deadline was February 1st, meaning that he was nominated less than two weeks after he was in office. Had he created so much cooperation between people in two weeks as to deserve this kind of award? I lay this partially at the feet of the people around him. A part of me thinks that this was done so far in advance because they expected him to be such a stellar success and that this would be the cherry on top of his first year in office.

I put the majority of the blame (yes, blame) for this award on the Nobel committee itself. Again, JayTea says it best –

Essentially, Obama’s award is for the outstanding achievement of “not only not being George W. Bush, but joining the rest of the world in blaming him for everything.”

Why do I use the word blame? Simply because awarding this to Obama does nothing to increase the reputation of the Nobel Peace Prize. You’re giving an award to someone who has done little to deserve it, at least not yet. As much as I disagree with what Jimmy Carter says and does, for years he has worked towards peace in the Middle East. It may not be the way many would like to see, but he is doing something. I think when Al Gore was awarded the prize, it was a joke. Climate change fearmongering doesn’t bring about peace. By giving the award to Obama, they are joining in the nonstop praise for someone who has so far not shown the ability to bring people together.

Links ahoy at Instapundit

Jonah Goldberg at NRO has a great idea. Why not give it to the Iranian protestors? (H/T Will Collier)