No, Obama Doesn't Deserve The Nobel Peace Prize

They say that if you establish a reputation as an early riser, you can sleep half the day every day. Not that the president of the United States slept in on Friday. No, Mr. Obama was up early enough in the morning to hear that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize, give a short but gracious speech accepting the award, and meet with his "war council" to discuss future strategy in Afghanistan.

I should mention that, despite pointing out the irony of the president's schedule, I meant no irony in describing Obama's speech as gracious. It was:

He seems sincere in his recognition that he does not deserve the award, just as most of his words and many of his deeds over the past year seem to reflect a sincere desire for a more peaceful world. But not every peace-loving individual, assuming Obama is such a person, deserves the world's highest award for peace, no more than every physicist deserves an award for physics. A sustained commitment and a record of achievement are required, and Obama is, to date, too light on both. Granted, he has so far outdone his predecessor in that he hasn't launched any bombing campaigns on any new countries (the moon doesn't count), but that's not saying much.

There is always a chance that the committee's choice will prove an inspired one. Maybe, as Obama put it, the "call to action" which this award represents will be answered by other leaders. Maybe those of us who are criticizing his win will apply some of our lofty standards for peace to ourselves. And maybe Obama will meet at least some of the high hopes that so many have in him as an agent of change and global harmony.

Or maybe his inner peacemaker will start sleeping in more often.