# Annual Nobel Peace Prize outrage **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 12, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524 "2012-10-12T15:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/61 "2012-10-13T12:55:09Z")
Eh. The EU was originally set up as a way to involve European nations so heavily economically with each other that war would become a losing option between members. It was set up to keep member states from the most war-torn continent on earth from going to war with each other. Despite considerable mission creep and conflicts outside the EU, it is a mission it has had spectacular success at. Yes, Bill Gates and various celebrities etc, has had a lot of success with humanitarian, but that is not the same a peace work. Gates may be closer to being qualified for a Nobel in Medicine, given his work in exterminating diseases. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/62 "2012-10-13T13:47:28Z")
> [@VanIsleScott](#): > > The whole Nobel bit was blown since it was awarded to Obama, simply for getting elected I guess…he hadn’t done anything. The prize for a long time has been really a political statement of “here’s something that we believe good right-thinking people and polities should support”, not a “human rights defender of the year” award. At least as \*\*Grim Render \*\*says, the EU seems to be doing its job of keeping peace by creating interdependency, and muting nationalism is generally favorable to peace. As to the Peace Prize Committee’s credibility in selecting the faces of that signal of favored policies, I know some old-timers in various political factions who’d remind you of a certain Dr. Kissinger and later Mr. Arafat. Granted at least \*they \*did at some point negotiate ceasefires or disarmament or diplomatic-relations agreements, but that was in between continuing other hostilities directly or by proxy. My President’s 2009 case was just the flaming cherry on top with sprinkles of giving up the pretense of it necessarily awarding “achievement” and saying yes, it’s true, some years we give this Prize just to make our point. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/63 "2012-10-13T14:57:28Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Sorry if this was pointed out earlier and I missed it, but my understanding is that the deadline for accepting nominations is very early in the year, something like the end of February. The head of the Nobel Committee has in the past said this is an iron-clad rule with absolutely no exceptions. So Yousufzai really would not have had a chance, but she could be in the running next year. This made Obama’s Peace Prize all the more remarkable, because he would have had to be nominated no more than five or six weeks into office at the very latest. They probably would have given it to Obama again had they thought it would help his reelection possibilities. Foreign policy isn’t his strong suit these days though. At least among the voters as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![nomdenet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4af34b/32.png) [@nomdenet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nomdenet)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/64 "2012-10-13T17:18:49Z")
It does rather seem like the EU getting a prize for something that would have happened anyway. It would be like me getting a prize for it not raining yesterday. It didn’t rain yesterday, but if I’m completely honest I cannot take full credit for it. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/65 "2012-10-13T18:00:15Z")
I would have given the Prize to the United Federation of Planets. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/66 "2012-10-13T18:07:09Z")
I like that. Kind of an aspirational prize. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/67 "2012-10-14T00:39:22Z")
Two world wars and othes that have spread globally. The fact that the process has been a slow one, rather then wham bang thank you mam, if anything enhances its prestige. It appears to be potentially a long term solution, rather then Bill Blogs stopping one war. Who knows how many wars might have, or in an ununited E.U. would in the future have started ? A success like this may be anticlimatic when compared with the Cuba crisis and suchlike, but its very effective. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/68 "2012-10-14T02:09:23Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I would have given the Prize to the United Federation of Planets. Is there any rule against nominating fictional organizations? If not, this is actually a really good idea if the prize isn’t so much of an award of achievement, but an award of ideals/goals/policies-we-agree-with. Actually… IS the United Federation of Planets (still) fictional? I wouldn’t be surprised if some Trekkies/Trekkers actually founded a real organization with that name and adopted all the policies. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/69 "2012-10-14T03:12:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If I ever become a qualified nominator and you’re still not George W. Bush, I might. [Here’s how that process works](http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/nomination/), and it provides another reason Malala Yousufzai wasn’t honored: the deadline for nominations is February 1. Ms Yousafzai’s work was done mostly from 2008 to 2010. The Nobel award has about as much recognition as we choose to give it. For the Peace Prize, we give it a little bit too much.It deserves, none. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/70 "2012-10-14T03:13:19Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Two world wars and othes that have spread globally. > > The fact that the process has been a slow one, rather then wham bang thank you mam, if anything enhances its prestige. > It appears to be potentially a long term solution, rather then Bill Blogs stopping one war. > > Who knows how many wars might have, or in an ununited E.U. would in the future have started ? > > A success like this may be anticlimatic when compared with the Cuba crisis and suchlike, but its very effective. The one thing I hope comes out of this is some modern realization of just how bad Europe has been historically and why even baby steps are to be encouraged. European history is like an episode of COPS, Trailer Park Addition. That is the epitome of white people gone bad and I say that a direct descendant of them. I have no idea why the American left idealizes Europe so much given that context. The vast majority of the white people in the U.S., Canada, and Australia exists only because their ancestors had it so bad they had to risk everything they had and flee. I am glad they are starting get it to together and starting to develop mature government systems like the U.S. has had for over 200 years but I still don’t think anyone should get an award for going through puberty. Maybe if the Middle East can hold it together for the next few months, they can be a serious contender in 2013. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/71 "2012-10-14T03:28:54Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Maybe if the Middle East can hold it together for the next few months, they can be a serious contender in 2013. Huh? The Middle East has historically been far less wracked by bloodshed and war than Europe. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/72 "2012-10-14T07:13:55Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Huh? > > The Middle East has historically been far less wracked by bloodshed and war than Europe. That’s cool. When we start awarding prizes for being cool cats in 400 AD, they can throw their hats in the ring. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/73 "2012-10-14T07:48:13Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The one thing I hope comes out of this is some modern realization of just how bad Europe has been historically and why even baby steps are to be encouraged. European history is like an episode of COPS, Trailer Park Addition. That is the epitome of white people gone bad and I say that a direct descendant of them. What do you expect? It is not surprising that the major conflicts in modern history have occurred in the place where modern history occurred. > [@](#): > > I have no idea why the American left idealizes Europe so much given that context. The vast majority of the white people in the U.S., Canada, and Australia exists only because their ancestors had it so bad they had to risk everything they had and flee. I suspect it is things like greater equality, social mobility and things like the lack of death penalty, less aggressive overseas policy etc. > [@](#): > > am glad they are starting get it to together and starting to develop mature government systems like the U.S. has had for over 200 years but I still don’t think anyone should get an award for going through puberty. The most important thing is that you’ve found an ill-informed way to feel superior to everyone. Which country do you think is seen as being the sulky teenage bully-boy of world politics? The USA’s governmental set-up is no guard against disastrous interventions and actions abroad as the last 50 years has proven. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/74 "2012-10-14T07:56:13Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > That’s cool. When we start awarding prizes for being cool cats in 400 AD, they can throw their hats in the ring. The current round of middle east turmoil dates from 1914. Before that barring few rebellions most of it was peaceful and stagnant under the Ottomons. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/75 "2012-10-14T07:58:06Z")
While we are at it, I agree that Barack Obama was the least deserving winner in 2009. Objectively, even George W Bush had a better claim, his administration did a lot of good work with respect to AIDS in Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/76 "2012-10-14T09:46:04Z")
Not all kinds of humanitarian work is peace work. Of course, the Nobel comittee don’t have a perfect record on getting that distinction either. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/77 "2012-10-14T09:57:29Z")
> [@Grim\_Render](#): > > Not all kinds of humanitarian work is peace work. > > Of course, the Nobel comittee don’t have a perfect record on getting that distinction either. AIDS has been a cause of a lot of conflict in Africa. That was not the point. I am not saying that he deserved it. I was saying that W, had actually done something, unlike Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/78 "2012-10-14T11:16:05Z")
Since the EU has worked so well, I suggest we make _more_ Unions, to increase the peace. We can form into groups of nations bound by various concordats and treaties. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/79 "2012-10-14T14:20:47Z")
> [@polar\_bear](#): > > There is nothing wrong with the EU winning it. Just look at the former Yugoslav republics that are doing everything they can to become a member (and probably will). Countries that were committing genocide on each other a mere 20 years ago, are willing to do ‘anything’ to become part of the same community. If you’re going to bring up the Balkans, contrast the utter failure of the European Union there to do anything about its back yard, to the intervention by NATO that stopped the slaughter (eventually). If anyone deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for the last sixty years of European peace, it’s NATO. Not the descendant of a coal and steel cartel. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524/80 "2012-10-14T14:32:45Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > AIDS has been a cause of a lot of conflict in Africa. That was not the point. I am not saying that he deserved it. I was saying that W, had actually done something, unlike Obama. That’s like saying Bill Gates has a better claim to a Nobel Prize in Physics than I do, because he’s actually done something (albeit completely unrelated to experimental physics.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/annual-nobel-peace-prize-outrage/637524.md?page=5)