The Nobel Peace Prize committee has screwed up again

[Second Summer]

I defended them when they gave the prize to Liu Xiaobo. But I thought giving the prize to Obama was a horrible mistake. This time around they have most definitely screwed up again. It has so clearly become a political prize. Such a shame, ruining such a great legacy.

If they want to save the good name and reputation of the prize, they've got to replace the current committee members (who are all former politicians, elected by the parliament) with actual peace experts / scholars. The current committee chair, Torbjørn Jagland, is well-known for his EU patriotism, and I feel this puts the legitimacy of the award in a dubious light.

I won't deny that the EU overall has been a positive force for the peace in Europe, but the EU is about so much else than peace work, so much that is sometimes at odds with peace.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19921072

 

[rainforests1]

Don't they promote animal research too? Who do you think should have won?

 

[Digger]

But I thought giving the prize to Obama was a horrible mistake.

I thought so too and I'm a staunch Obama supporter. It did nothing but set him up for a fall if he didn't live up to certain expectations, and it gave the Republicans a whole lot of fodder for criticism when he didn't. I'd bet Obama wishes he hadn't received it either. He had only just been elected... what were they thinking?

 

[Second Summer]

Don't they promote animal research too?

Hmm, you may be thinking of the Nobel science awards? They have different committees though, and that's all organised by Sweden. (The Peace Prize was the one Nobel prize the Norwegians inherited after the breakup of the union in 1905.)

Who do you think should have won?

Someone who has worked more directly and unambiguously for peace. I didn't really have anyone specific in mind, but here's a list of possibly worthy candidates:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/11/world/nobel-peace-prize-contenders/index.html

 

[Second Summer]

I thought so too and I'm a staunch Obama supporter. It did nothing but set him up for a fall if he didn't live up to certain expectations, and it gave the Republicans a whole lot of fodder for criticism when he didn't. I'd bet Obama wishes he hadn't received it either. He had only just been elected... what were they thinking?

Exactly. I dunno, I suspect it was the work of that chair guy again, Jagland. He's got a special talent for making stupid and embarrassing decisions.