The Impact Of Awarding The Nobel Peace Prize To Mr. Obama - Essay Example

The Impact Of Awarding The Nobel Peace Prize To Mr. ObamaThe Nobel peace prize is going to affect Mr Obama’s presidency in that the award is given to those who “in the previous year have conferred the best benefit on mankind.” This is generally viewed as doing the best work for fraternity within nations, for the diminution of standing armies, and for promoting peace congresses. Today this is provision is seen as pointing towards general disarmament and the dissemination of the peace concept (Bilton, 23-9).

This award is however seen as a political liability perhaps more of a burden than glory at home especially by the republicans who are criticizing the president, contending that he won the due to his international stardom and oratorical prowess than his actual achievements. According to (Erangler and Stolberg New York Times Oct 9 2009) some democrats are still unsure whether he deserved it. Many argue that this prize should have been given to him some years later when he would have accomplished more achievements because if any one of his peace initiatives in either Iraq or Afghanistan fails then contrast between this prestigious prize and the U.S. foreign policy could ruin his political career.

The impact of this award makes President Obama a universally respected figure in that he has changed the world’s perception of the U.S by changing it from super power status to a more idealistic country especially in the field of nuclear weaponry. The fact that he is fighting two wars one in Iraq and another in Afghanistan yet he is still seen as a peaceful leader in the global arena is a plus for him in many political circles. Winning this peace prize empowers him even more to take some initiatives to move things forward in currently stalled peace processes such as the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Others such as elimination of nuclear weapons may not be completed even during his lifetime. These huge challenges coupled with the domestic problems at home such as pressing congress to overhaul the national health care system, dealing with the economic crisis may lead to divided attention thereby overwhelming him”.(Woodruff, 45). A brief example of this was the hastened acceptance speech he gave on learning about his win. To the majority of the world leaders, particularly from Western Europe, feel that the prize award creates more pressure on president Obama in delivering on his promise in creating a world free of nuclear weapons.

This will be particularly hard to achieve with North Korea continuing to stage missile tests while Iran enriches itself with uranium thereby defying the United Nations Security Council resolutions”(Woodruff, 67 ). Not everyone agrees that the prize is an advantage for President Obama the Hamas and the Taliban have already denounced the prize, the Iranian (religious leaders) ‘mullahs’ do not think a committee of infidels in Norway has any moral authority. When it comes to tough haggling with tough governments and military decisions the Nobel Prize may just work against him(Erangler and Stoleberg, 71) President Obama will be held accountable by the world according to how he lucratively deals with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, everyone expects that he will use his influence to try and diplomatically resolve the situation.

Currently there is little progress in terms of trying to restart the peace talks however in June president Obama tried to reach out to the Muslim world by delivering a major speech in Cairo but since then the excitement in the Islamic world has died, Muslims are of the view that no matter who is in the Whitehouse Americas pro-Israeli policies always stay the same especially since the president backed down from the demand that the Israeli halt all settlement activities on territory conquered in 1967.

Arab opinion makers claim the award is premature and come too early as the president is still living off slogans. Israel on the other hand is openly opposing the President Obama’s efforts to resuscitate the peace talks especially now that the talks are in their final phase and are focussing on the key contentious issues such as the borders of a Palestinian state, the sharing of the city of Jerusalem, and the fate of the Palestinian refugees. Israelis are wary that the Nobel Prize will be used by the president to correct America’s blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan by asking Israel to accept Palestinian settlement on their Jewish state and force Israel into a peace deal.

Work citedWoodruff J. Obama and global cooperation needed on key challenges Sept 23rd 2009 PBS station Oct 26th2009 Erlanger S and Stolberg G., S.Surprise Nobel for Obama Stirs Praise and Doubts October 9, 2009 www.nytimes.com/2009Bilton, P.Nobel laureates’ Oct 12th www.nobel peace prize.org