Obama lacks credentials for prize

The Nobel Peace Prize was first awarded in 1901 by a Swedish-born entrepreneur named Alfred Nobel. The award is given annually by a five-member committee in Oslo, Norway, to persons and/or organizations that have made significant contributions toward peace in the world. 
According to Nobel’s will, the Peace Prize should be awarded to the person who “during the preceding year shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” The clear intent of Mr. Nobel’s wishes was that the award be based on past achievements as opposed to future successes or performance. When measured against this standard, President Obama is clearly deficient.
Even the most partisan observer would have to admit that since the official deadline for the Nobel nominations was Feb. 1 and Obama had only been in office 12 days, it would have been a virtual impossibility to build a record of achievement worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize standards.
Previous U.S. recipients offer an interesting contrast: President Woodrow Wilson (1919) was honored as one of the founders of the League of Nations; Cordell Hull (1945) was one of the originators of the United Nations; Martin Luther King (1964) for his extraordinary leadership in civil rights; Henry Kissinger (1973) for negotiating the cease-fire in Vietnam. In each of these cases the recipients were honored for what they had already accomplished — not for what -they hoped to do in the future.
It has become increasingly apparent in recent years that the Nobel Committee seems to favor leftwing, progressive nominees or causes, and President Obama’s selection is further confirmation that the integrity of a once very prestigious award has become politicized.
One thing is certain: President Obama won’t be receiving any awards in the near future for job creation, fiscal restraint or backing up soaring rhetoric with concrete action.

David H. Edmunds
Albemarle County