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Obama Receives Nobel Prize for
Promoting Multilateralism
Sawraj Singh
 President Obama
became the third American President to receive the Nobel Peace Prize
during his presidency and the fourth American President to receive
the prize. Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt were the other two
Presidents who received the prize during their presidency while
Jimmy Carter got the award after his presidency. However, Obama has
not even finished one year of presidency. Therefore, he received the
award earlier than the other presidents.
Many people feel
that this prize is not for appreciating Obama’s work, but is a slap
at President Bush. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee thoroughly
disliked Bush. It showed its dislike for Bush by awarding Jimmy
Carter and Al Gore, because their philosophy is completely opposite
to Bush’s philosophy.
There is no
doubt that the Nobel Peace Prize Committee wanted to promote
multilateralism. President Obama wants to change the unilateralist
policies of Bush. Bush not only alienated the rest of the world, but
also antagonized America’s European allies. Bush was probably the
most hated American president. Most of the Europeans really hated
Bush. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee reflects the liberal section
of Europe’s intellectuals. It will not be an exaggeration to say
that the committee represents the mainstream European sentiment.
While most
people in the world are very happy that Obama got the award, yet
America is divided over this issue. Many Republicans, the rightists,
and some of the leftists are criticizing the decision. Republicans
are saying that Obama does not deserve the award because his
policies have not worked yet and he has not achieved anything. Some
are even saying that he was given the award because he is black.
Some of the leftists feel that Obama is backing up from the campaign
promises or he has not yet put to practice the genuine leftist
policies.
I feel that the
committee wants to promote multilateralism because otherwise, Bush’s
unilateralist policies could have led to disaster. The future of
mankind and the planet was doomed by those policies. Bush openly
provoked the Muslims by equating his policies to the crusades.
America
was perceived as anti-Islamic by most of the Muslims in the world.
Bush was completely opposed to doing anything to protect the
environment. If such policy is continued, that will spell disaster
for the planet. Bush advocated an alliance of America, India, and
Israel against Islam and China. This policy would definitely lead to
a third world war which would have spelled disaster for mankind.
Such a war is unwinnable.
America’s
European allies completely disagreed with Bush’s unilateralist
policies. President Obama has categorically rejected and condemned
Bush’s policies. He wants to consult the European allies as well as
the global community. He has realized that America can no longer
control the world and needs help to solve the problems faced by
America and the rest of the world. He sincerely wants to do
something to save the global climate and environment. He wants to
change
America’s
anti-Islamic image. Most of the world is reacting very favorably to
Obama’s policies, including most of the Islamic countries. Except
for the fundamentalist Muslims, most of the Muslims are reacting
positively to his overtures.
Obama has
realized that the unipolar world led by
America
is history now and the world has become multipolar. He is trying to
convince the Americans to accept the change peacefully. If his
policies do not work and America goes back to the rightist
Republican policies of Bush, that will only lead to a third world
war which America cannot win. This can only lead to disaster for
America
and the rest of the world. By awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to
Obama, the committee wants to prevent that scenario.
(The author
is Chairman,
Washington
State
Network for Human Rights & also heads Central Washington
Coalition for Social Justice.)
14
October 2009
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