So what do you think of President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize? My initial thought was that the prize seemed a bit premature. I admire his efforts toward Middle East peace, but what exactly has he done? Obama’s efforts on Nuclear Non-Proliferation are important, but at this point they are just that, efforts. A lot of hard work is ahead. It is my understanding that winning the Nobel Peace Prize is typically granted for a lifetime of work in promoting peace like the work of Nelson Mandela. The Nobel Prize Committee states that Obama has “created a new climate in international politics.”  Which is true, the American President, Christian, but with a Muslim name is willing to speak with a Muslim Country, about the injustices they have faced and the ones they have caused. Perhaps winning this award will give President Obama more power in his Middle East peace efforts and more confidence to and encouragement to make some serious actions ahead.

The nomination process begins in September each year when the Nobel Prize Committee sends letter to individuals qualified to make nominations.  The deadline for submission of nomination letters is the following Feburary. That being said, President Obama had been in office for a month at the most since his late January Inauguration. In recent years, there have been up to 200 submissions for nominations. I tried to explore the nominatin database further, but the information about the nominations, investigations, and opinions concerning the award is kept secret for 50 years. Jane Adams was nominated 91 times between 1916 and 1931 before she was finally awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, granted she was one of the first women to recieve the award, but this sort of life’s work is what I associate the Nobel Prize with.

I don’t intend to bash the President or his efforts to run the Country or keep the peace by any means, I’m quite thankful that it is his job and not mine. I’m just questioning the Nobel Committee and the process of selecting the recipient of the award. What do you think of Obama getting the Nobel Prize?