I'm sure I'll take a lot of heat for this, but I'm not altogether comfortable with President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Put simply, it seems premature - particularly in view of the February 1 nomination deadline.
Nobels are generally handed out to folks with lengthy records of accomplishments or stunning breakthrough achievements. Jimmy Carter brokering a peace deal between Israel and Egypt. Al Gore relentlessly forcing climate change to become a dominant issue that most, if not all, governments take seriously. Barack Obama....using more conciliatory rhetoric with other nations than we've become used to? If not, then what exactly? There is no record of accomplishment yet.
Perhaps in a reversal of giving awards posthumously, this award is intended as a prehumous honor. The committee feels that Mr. Obama, by the time of his death, will compile a record of accomplishment worthy of this honor. So why wait?
While I think Mr. Obama has done many helpful things to work towards peace, I think it is entirely reasonable to wait until some fruit is born before conferring what is arguably the most important and prestigious award available to a human being on planet Earth. I might be wrong, I might be crazy, but that's what I think. This looks overtly political.
And I don't think it's all that helpful to Mr. Obama. This tends to feed the impression that he is the anointed one, with miracles in his pockets to dispense. I'm impressed by the way he seems to hold his ego in check, but sooner or later he may be talked into the aforementioned view.
I'll go further. It's disservice, not an honor. Let Mr. Obama learn his chops as world leader and compile his record. I would not be at all surprised if it turns out to be impressive. But accomplishment should precede reward.
crossposted at http://progressivessouthbend.org