Friday, October 09, 2009

War and Peace

Today everyone woke up to the surprising news of Barack Obama winning the Nobel prize for peace. This news has stirred up a debate about his candidacy for the prize, with people questioning the basis or the deeds which led to him winning the prize. I must admit that i never dreamt in my wildest dreams that he would win the prize.

What has he done? none of his promises have bore any fruit till now be it the Israel palestine conflict or his promise to talk with Iran, his efforts to free the world of the nuclear weapons. Frankly speaking he has done nothing, he has only talked about it. The nobel committee feels that his efforts in bringing together leaders and reaching out to people in middle east and western asia is a start in the right direction. The lecture which he gave at the Cairo University was certainly a good start.

I support the viewpoints of the people opposed to his name for the coveted prize, but then we are forgetting a point that nobel peace prize is more about a political statement rather than a right person being nominated for it. Certainly there were better candidates this year be it the Zimbabwean leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but there is a message that the nobel committee wants to send out this year.

The message is clear, it wants to put pressure on US to stop taking the military option in solving conflicts. Bearing in mind the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan , it does not want to see Iran conflict taking the same shape. Obama being the commander in chief of the most powerful force in the world would think twice before using any military option. There has been a lot of expectation from Obama ever since he assumed the presidency of the united states. He has tried to mend relations with the world which were thwarted by the arrogant stance of George Bush , who was at war while he went to sleep.

Cynics would bash this choice for the nobel prize, his supporters would now think that he is the ultimate saviour of the world. But the expectation or the promises may never be fulfilled. So we all must tread cautiously, without expecting miracles. Today's decision perhaps reflects this sense of expectation, the optimism that Obama would make every thing right. Will he become the second man to walk on water, perhaps time will tell, but today's decision reflects the hopes of people all around the world. I am sure he is no "Mahatma" or "Martin Luther King", but its very easy to point fingers at others, without putting your feet in his shoes.

When he ran for Presidency, opponents said he was more of a celebrity with exceptional oratory skills, but he proved everyone wrong. Many would think today's decision is influenced by the power of the US, but then who says everything which happens is fair. Some how i have this feeling that people are wary of his success, his rise has been so meteoric that no one expected.
I can only say that we must respect the fact that he has done all this through his hard work, and in your journey of success you reach some heights which you have never dreamt, may be it is just one of these days!!!