[quote author="Nude" date=1255190289]g_c,
Aside from Sarkozy, the others on that list have years of effort in resolving conflicts to qualify them as eligible and worthy of recognition. Obama has done nothing and he knows it... he even admits it. To the rest of the world, it looks as if the Norwegians have given the Prize for nothing more than intent, and many of them find that offensive. To me, it appears they are rewarding intent in order to influence future policy in a way that promotes their desired world, rather than actual recognition of effort and accomplishment. It's like awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to a West Point Cadet upon graduation.
I do agree that it has made a mockery of the Peace Prize itself. I also think it will invite ridicule of Obama, making it harder to achieve the goals he has set for his administration because no one really thinks he deserves it.</blockquote>
It doesn't just look like that was their intent, it seems like it was.
<blockquote>
"It's quite likely this committee will reward somebody who is engaged in current processes," said Kristian Berg Harpviken, head of the International Peace Institute in Oslo (PRIO). "They want the prize to have an impact on things that are about to happen and want to affect events," he told Reuters.
</blockquote>
It's just a subjective price ... it's not like he came in last in a Marathon and was declared a winner.