Fait Accompli!

This is coolbert:

Well, it is all the talk of the town today. And for the rest of the nation and probably the world as well. President Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize. This was totally unexpected. The man had only been in office for twelve days when he was nominated!! And his accomplishments to further the "cause of world peace" are scant at best!!

MOST OBSERVERS ARE MORE OR LESS DUMBFOUNDED BY THIS!!??

But still, the award has been made. A fait accompli, as the diplomats say.

Like I said, this awarding has been the talk of the town today, especially on talk radio. And the callers into the various radio stations are almost unanimous in their opinion THAT THE PRESIDENT DID NOT DESERVE THE AWARD!! [3 % yes, he deserved it - - 97 % no, he did not deserve it!!]

NORMALLY the Peace Prize is awarded for HAVING DONE SOMETHING. Being a symbol, a "ray of hope", a beacon, etc., generally is not enough for the prize committee!

Was ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE AWARDED TO INDIVIDUALS OR EVEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT FACILITATED A PEACE PROCESS BETWEEN WARRING PARTIES.

A person or an organization offering their "good offices" to mediate or arbitrate a war or conflict between parties locked in endless strife without any possibility of a negotiated settlement.

"good offices  - –noun 1. influence, esp. with a person in a position of power: 2. services rendered by a mediator in a dispute."

Warring parties, at loggerheads, unable perhaps even to begin negotiations, needing a push or a shove in the right direction from a third party, a settlement being the eventual conclusion.

A person or an organization that cajoles, coaxes, entices, makes suggestions and acts as an intermediary, even threatens when necessary, the goal being a negotiated peaceful settlement to a conflict.

Such a person, perhaps the archetype of all such individuals holding sway over mediated and arbitrated negotiations is - - President Theodore Roosevelt.

NOTED primarily in the history books for having brokered the peace treaty in 1905 ending the war between Japan and Russia.

But a person, Roosevelt, whose credentials for being awarded the Peace Prize were more extensive than most realize:

"In 1902 President Roosevelt took the initiative in opening the international Court of Arbitration at The Hague . . . . The United States and Mexico agreed to lay an old difference of theirs, concerning the Pious Foundations of California, before the Hague Tribunal . . . this example was followed by other powers"

"In 1904 the Interparliamentary Union, meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, requested Roosevelt to call another international conference to continue the work begun at The Hague in 1899. Roosevelt responded immediately"

"In June, 1905, President Roosevelt offered his good offices as mediator between Russia and Japan . . . in August they met at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and after some weeks of difficult negotiations concluded a peace treaty in September, 1905."

ACTIONS such as were the work of Theodore Roosevelt surely did merit the Nobel Peace Prize! NOT merely hope, but ACTIONS! Brokering a peace treaty, using good offices, facilitating negotiations in a successful manner.

[my perception is that even the most enthusiastic supporter of President Obama understands that this award is an over-done mistake greatly cheapening the prize in itself!?]

coolbert.