An
“outdated’ Nobel Peace Prize
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Bình Nam
Last Friday 10-9-2009, the Nobel
Committee in Oslo, Norway, announced its award of the 2009 Peace Prize to US
President Barack Obama, followed by a statement from its Chairman: “We chose
President Obama because he has created a new atmosphere for the world politics
and been the carrier of the torch for those who advocate the Nobel Peace Prize
for the last 108 years. Right at his inauguration, he has brought to mankind
his future perception and hope.”
The Nobel prizes were
established by Norwegian engineer Alfred B. Nobel in 1895. Under the
administration of The Nobel Foundation, annual prizes in cash and a gold medal
are awarded to those who have achieved, discovered, or invented anything useful
to mankind in Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Medicine, and World Peace. In
1969, the Committee added a new prize in Economics to recognize the importance
of economic activities in the world related to peace and development.
Nobel Peace Prizes are highly
honored around the world, especially those awarded before 1973. Two US
presidents were among those recipients: president Theodore Roosevelt and
president Woodrow Wilson. President Jimmy Carter was awarded the prize after 1973,
and equally got the consent and praise around the world.
President Roosevelt (2 terms,
1901-1909), received the prize in 1906 during his second term for his
critical role in the stabilization of the western hemisphere and use of his
position to reconcile Russia and Japan in ending the 1905 Russo-Japan war.
President Wilson (also 2 terms, 1913-1921), meanwhile, received his prize in
1919 for efforts in his first term in creating a free, peaceful, and
law-abiding world. He was the founder of the League of Nations, a precursor of
the United Nations.
President Carter (1977-1981) received
his prize in 2002 for his contribution during his term to the peace between
Israel and Egypt, and his efforts, after leaving his office, in creating and
maintain peace in many areas of the world.
In 1973, the Committee began to
politicize the prize by deciding to award it to Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho,
the two negotiators of the Paris Agreement that ended the war in Vietnam. World
opinion started casting doubt on the value of the prize, as it appeared evident
to observers that Kissinger wanted a cease-fire to open the way for the US to
change its global policy, not to serve peace. For Tho, he tried to use the
agreement as a disguise to conceal Hanoi’s plan to invade South Vietnam by
force once the US troops had left. In awarding the prize to Kissinger and Tho,
the Committee hoped that Hanoi, cajoled by the glory that came with the prize,
would respect the agreement. It turned out to be a painful illusion.
In 1994, the Nobel Committee
repeated its politicization of the prize when it chose Yasser Arafat, leader of
Palestine, a known terrorist, and two Israeli statesmen, Yitzhak Rabin and
Shimon Perez, who negotiated peace with the intention to bury Palestine peacefully.
Again, the Committee hoped the prize would lead to reconciliation and bring
peace to Middle East. Another illusion.
This year, the prize was awarded
to President Obama. More than anyone else, Americans were the first to be
stunned, including those who supported him. As a senator Obama opposed the
attack of Iraq, but that was not an achievement. Besides, with less than a year
at the White House, he has achieved nothing concrete to build or contribute to
a lasting peace in the world.
Again, the award was another
political decision. We may guess that the Committee had in mind using the prize
to encourage Obama to withdraw from Afghanistan. The troop withdrawal from or
reinforcement in Afghanistan at this time is a critical issue for the US, and
Obama cannot hastily make a decision based on or influenced by the glory of the
prize.
His best choice would be to deny
the award so he can freely act for his own country’s interest. However, he has
expressed his intention to accept it, even though he humbly said the award was
not for his personal achievement but simply a signal that the world accepts the
leadership of the US, and a call to action!
It seems the Norwegians in the
Nobel Committee were so obsessed with the dream of peace that they ignored the
reality in the political arena of the US.
Once more, they have abused
their ‘outdated’ international prize in a very ‘awkward’ manner./.
Tran Binh Nam
October
12, 2009
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