Nobel Peace Prize - The Right Decision?

[Knight of Albion]

BBC News - Syria chemical weapons monitors win Nobel Peace Prize

Am I alone in thinking that the noble and very brave Pakistani schoolgirl campaigner Malala Yousafzai should have won?

If the decision had been down to you, who would you have awarded it to?

 

[Revoltingest]

It's always a tough call.
The anti-chemical weapons group isn't as sympathetic as the Pakistani gal, but they probably accomplish far more. I'm OK with the choice.

A blast from the past....
Much to the left leaning voters' delight,
Obama received a Nobel prize last night.
Twas nothing he'd done,
so why had he won?
Not for what he did, but for what he might.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Nobel prize awards tend to be activist. Remember when Yasser Arafat won a peace prize? Remember when our president won a peace prize in anticipation of what he would do? I think the committee feels that it would rather promote peace than reward those who have helped bring it to pass. The girl who is already working for peace would continue doing so anyway, while these bomb removers are a variable. Will they except a kickback from someone? Ok, maybe now they will be less likely to accept a bribe since they are getting a cash reward peace prize.

 

[BSM1]

It's always a tough call.
The anti-chemical weapons group isn't as sympathetic as the Pakistani gal, but they probably accomplish far more. I'm OK with the choice.

Although I doubt if I'll ever have an OPCW poster hanging on my wall (I was pulling for Malala) rationally this makes sense.

 

[YmirGF]

The Peace prize has been a bit of a joke for many years now. Though a surprise, I can't say I am rolling my eyes at this year's winner. Unlike several winners in recent years, at least this group is somewhat deserving.

 

[Marijan]

Nobel prize awards tend to be activist. Remember when Yasser Arafat won a peace prize? Remember when our president won a peace prize in anticipation of what he would do? I think the committee feels that it would rather promote peace than reward those who have helped bring it to pass. The girl who is already working for peace would continue doing so anyway, while these bomb removers are a variable. Will they except a kickback from someone? Ok, maybe now they will be less likely to accept a bribe since they are getting a cash reward peace prize.

I agree with Brickjectivity. The committee is made of (most likely) smart people, and they rather motivate more influential persons so that they continue doing a good job. The girl will probably continue to work for peace, but some "higher powers" can be restricted by politics or other factors, so they need motivation.

 

[YmirGF]

I agree with Brickjectivity. The committee is made of (most likely) smart people, and they rather motivate more influential persons so that they continue doing a good job. The girl will probably continue to work for peace, but some "higher powers" can be restricted by politics or other factors, so they need motivation.

So how do you figure that worked out by awarding Barack Obama the Peace Prize?

 

[BSM1]

So how do you figure that worked out by awarding Barack Obama the Peace Prize?

Evidently they also have a drinking problem. :yes:

 

[Brickjectivity]

So how do you figure that worked out by awarding Barack Obama the Peace Prize?

Its impossible to know unless he specifically says it had an effect. What interest do you have in Obama, specifically? Would you like to turn this thread into yet another of your rants about him?

Evidently they also have a drinking problem. :yes:

I tend to agree. It was premature I thought.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Am I alone in thinking that the noble and very brave Pakistani schoolgirl campaigner Malala Yousafzai should have won?

If the decision had been down to you, who would you have awarded it to?

Malala Yousafzai!

 

[YmirGF]

Its impossible to know unless he specifically says it had an effect. What interest do you have in Obama, specifically? Would you like to turn this thread into yet another of your rants about him?

The comment was germane to the topic. What, precisely, has the Embarrassment-in-Chief EVER done to warrant the prize?

 

[Brickjectivity]

Its beside the point. No one can ever warrant a prize before they've even started. The prize was given as an encouragement, obviously.

 

[sandandfoam]

I'm not sure that the Nobel Prize means much.

 

[YmirGF]

I'm not sure that the Nobel Prize means much.

That is the sad part, Stephen. At one time it was a significant prize, but one that lost credibility from the moment they awarded it to Yasser Arafat and Menachem Begin to the present day.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hey, it's the Oscars for people who aren't in movies. I suppose the Oscars might be a little less arbitrary.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Certainly a peace prize is deserved in terms of the group's service towards mitigating one of the most dangerous types of threats humans have developed.

In addition, if the results of the chemical weapons hand over are successful and therefore an armed international intervention not launched, it is entirely arguable that next year Putin's administration's efforts in obtaining such a deal at a time when the west was revving up for war might well garner him a very very strong nomination (though whether or not he would win will of course depend on other nominees) one could even suggest Assad might also be a nominee (for accepting the deal) though an extremely weak candidate who does not get a look in.

TBH the peace prize has become entirely too political, with an expanded focus to attempting to precipitate outcomes rather than to merely recognizing actual achievements and outcomes.