So, everyone seems to be freaking out about this. I have to admit, my first thought when I heard the news was "Wow. I wonder what they're basing that on". Now, having said that, I think, after 8 years of our last government in which no prizes were thrown but instead shoes were thrown. If you think this in some way diminishes the man or America, then I'm not sure what I could say that would change your mind.
The main complaint here seems to be that he hasn't yet brought peace on earth, and therefore is unworthy. The peace prize is about progress and work towards peace. No one ever achieves peace.
I think the President put it best:
I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.
To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.
But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.
You see what he did there? Using it as a launching pad for his efforts towards peace. That was the whole point...
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