Nobel Peace Prize

It's happening again. Recognition of unverifiable intentions. This is another angle on hope for the future. Ignore the present and focus on the unknowable:

The Future

• And again.: this time for preventing conflict (not actively bringing peace, just 'preventing' conflict - DA) within Europe!!!

Forms, which amount to a personal and exclusive invitation, are sent to about three thousand selected individuals to invite them to submit nominations. For the peace prize, inquiries are sent to such people as governments of states, members of international courts, professors and rectors at university level, former Peace Prize laureates, current or former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, among others. The Norwegian Nobel Committee then bases its assessment on nominations sent in before 3 February.^[11] The submission deadline for nominations for Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Economics is 31 January.^[12] Self-nominations and nominations of deceased people are disqualified.

• This illustrates the premature nature of this nomination and also shows the highly political nature of the selection. This is similar to Gore and the earlier Peace Award. This had massive overtones of a political hijack.
  

• This also illustrates the potential massaging by selecting those who are eligible to endorse nominations. Cherry picking the 'yes' men?
  

Eight months into a possible eight year term, the Nobel Peace prize has been awarded to President Barrack Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

The committee "attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons".

Nuclear weapons

The president has spoken of his wish to see a world without nuclear weapons. He wants the US Senate to ratify the test ban treaty. The US hopes to get a new agreement with Russia in December to reduce deployed warheads to below the 2,200 already agreed. This does not define a nuclear weapons-free world. If Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan and Israel have them, then so will the US.

Climate change

Much depends on the US Senate and Obama's intentions are conditional on congressional acceptance. The will and intention may be there, but the problem is making it happen.

Human rights

Guantanamo Bay is supposed to be closed by early next year. The end to torture by all US agencies is awaited.

Iraq

The president has said that US combat operations in Iraq will stop by the end of August next year though US troops will remain there to train Iraqis and fight al-Qaeda. Intentions are not yet achieved.

Iran

The threat of conflict between Iran and Israel remains and there are still no meaningful talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Afghanistan

An increase in US forces (21.09.2009 - defines premature) would mean a continuation of war, so this hardly encourages winning peace. The conflict in Afghanistan completes the circle. The Twin Towers in 2001 ignited the path to the Middle East in the first place. The allegation is still unproven that this was instigated by the US to provide the justification for the invasion that led to oil-rich Iraq, via Afghanistan.

Create the problem and provide the solution

It does appear premature to be awarding such a prize based purely on intentions. This requires a crystal ball.