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Written by Christian Hofverberg
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Friday, 09 October 2009 12:34 |
Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu,
Martin Luther King Jr.
Big names, great men.
Each of them has left a legacy that is timeless and universal. Does Barack Obama qualify in this group of greatness? Apparently, according to the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Not yet if you ask me. And I’m saying this as a supporter of Obama.
Barack Obama has during his first year as president of the United States done much to restore hope, not just to his own country but to the world. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that. But that alone isn’t enough and shouldn’t be enough.
One, because it devaluates the Nobel Peace Prize itself; transforming it from a prestigious award that political leaders and others can have as an inspiring goal to work towards in their quest for peace and development, to a bleak medal for high ambitions and diplomatic rhetoric.
Two, it may actually be contra-productive; putting even more pressure on a high profile mediator to solve the conflicts of our time while the arguing parties increases their expectations on the peacemakers to an unrealistic level.
Three, because “Mr. Yes we can” hasn’t fully shown that he can transform his high, and admirable, ambitions to concrete results.
With a pending decision about troop reinforcements in Afghanistan, an unclear future for the Guantanamo prisoners and massive domestic critic about his health reform (no peace there!), Barack Obama is in for challenges that are enormous and extremely difficult. I have high hopes that he will be able to, not just face, but exceed those challenges with flying colors. Yet those hurdles are a mere glimpse of what Mandela and Dr. King had to take on.
So although I, as a black man and as a citizen of the world, may be happy for the American president I still feel that the committee made a wrong choice. They got swept away with the promising shout of “Yes we can” while they should have said to themselves “Yes we can... wait!”
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Columns 
An image that belongs in history
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Comments
You\'re 100% on point, in every syllable!
You covered everything that should be said about it, so I can add nothing but a standing ovation! I applaud you, man!
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