Nobel Prize for American President Obama
The Nobel Committee for once has got it wrong, at least in terms of timing. The Nobel Peace Prize to Obama displays the bankruptcy of the Nobel Committee’s decision-making process as it seems the Committee has been too eager to give away a prize to an already overstretched process of Obama-fame. I am personally an Obama supporter but like everything else there has to be a fine line between fame and over exposure and this latest Nobel Prize stunt really leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The Nobel Committee should have waited – one year, maybe two, or maybe ten years to give a Nobel to Obama. The man has just begun his journey as a President and giving away prizes before any achievement could devalue the prize itself and also future achievements.
The Nobel Prize can be considered as the Nobel Peace Prize of Expectation in case of Obama rather than a Nobel Peace Prize of Achievement. Even Obama himself may not be too enthusiastic about the Prize knowing well that it is a tough road ahead and such prizes only add expectations which could be actually a pressure rather than an award. Is it the Nobel committee’s new tactics to pressurize a powerful overexposed international figure to act peacefully rather than highlight the peace initiatives of other lesser known international figures who may have worked all life for peace despite adversities? There were many other contenders for the prize who may not be as well known as the President but that could have been a reason for giving the prize – to recognize the achievements of a lesser known individual. Was the Nobel committee swept by over-enthusiasm for Obama as well? Obama clearly has a lot of work to do. He will have to actually settle the Middle East conflict, solve Iran’s nuclear problems, eradicate terrorist camps from Afghanistan, maintain extreme diplomacy with Russia, settle several disputes in Asia and finally keep the American people happy.
The Nobel has been given to Obama as a tool, a weapon to stop the US President from making hasty decisions on Iran or Afghanistan, Iraq or North Korea or any other region for that matter. By giving the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama, the Nobel Committee wants to be sure that Obama does not take the same path as Bush, bombing away civilians for the entire Presidency. But historically the Nobel Peace prize has gone to many US Presidents and giving the prize to powerful international figures seems to be favored by the Committee possibly to highlight the mission of peace and possibly to deter any use of weapons by US Presidents to create a climate of peace or possibly to improve European relations with the US.
However the Nobel Prize should still be seen as a lifetime achievement award rather than an encouragement prize and considering the exalted status of the Prize, giving a Nobel to Obama could be seen as immature and hasty. The question remains whether Iran would be happy with the Nobel Committee’s decision. On the one hand, Nobel Laureate Obama could be encouraged to pressurize Iran even further to give up any nuclear ambitions and yet the Prize would prevent Obama from taking drastic measures such as bombing the nuclear facilities in Iran.
The Nobel Prize to Obama clearly demarcates two types of Nobel Prizes – the Nobel Prize that is given as a grant to foster achievements and initiatives and the Nobel Prize given as recognition for lifetime achievements. Usually writers and scholars get the second type of award and have to wait until their old age to get any recognition from the Nobel Committee whereas politicians and especially US presidents seem to get these prizes a bit too early than necessary. The Nobel Committee has always been too eager to give the prize to many other US Presidents such a Bill Clinton who finally missed it possibly due to too many scandals.
The Committee requires a rethink and a reformulation of its policies and strategies because despite the fact that such decisions actually encourage a prominent world leader to further promote the cause of peace, giving away such prizes too early in a person’s career can undermine the nobility of the Nobel Prize itself and dilute the values and objectives of the Nobel Foundation.
The Nobel Committee will have to come up with a broader list of potential Nobel Laureates and get out of ‘let’s give the US President a Nobel Peace Prize’ mindset and develop deeper analytical insights about peace initiatives by other individuals and organizations around the world. Similar views have been expressed against the Nobel Committee’s decision to give the Nobel Prize in Literature mainly to European writers. As the US Presidents seem to be almost always top contenders for the Peace Prize, European authors seem to be the most likely contenders for the Nobel in Literature. There is definitely a pattern and a bias which the Nobel Committee has to get out of and the Committee should spend some of its efforts and funds in researching the work of more world authors and peace activists.
There has been a lot of controversy on the Nobel Committee’s decision to honor Obama and the decision has been considered as bold, infantile and even shocking. However the right word would be hasty. Obama would have got the Prize anyway, but waiting for 5 years or 10 years would have given the Prize a little more importance and Obama’s achievements could have been honored even better. Just like there could be some severe syndrome of overachievement, Obama’s over recognition could be detrimental for everyone. Yet it is hoped that Obama would keep his composure and unlike the Nobel Committee will not be swayed by hasty decisions or unnecessary enthusiasm either for peace or for war.
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