What do you think are the reasons for which the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Barack Obama?

I think that President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize because he has given hope, real tangible hope, to his fellow Americans and to the entire world in an age when everyone is feeling uncertain and, on some level, scared about the future. We don't know how or when these wars will end, we're struggling through a global economic crisis, and those are only the two biggest issues at hand. Obama has a lot on his plate, but I believe that he is the ideal type of person to be leading the free world confidently and inspiringly farther into the 21st Century. He will get America back on its feet eventually and as he does so, inspire the rest of us around the globe to believe in the USA again and build a better world with them. I don't care if some people think that it is a naive way of thinking. Our world has turned into such a disgusting pit of cynicism, it's time for us to once again begin believing in the good that is always possible.

It was stated by the Peace Prize Committee that he was awarded the Prize in recognition of the values he stood for and the accomplishments they hope he achieves during his presidency.

It has been stated by members of other peace groups and coalitions who keep their collective ear to the tracks concerning these matters that the committee chose Obama for another reason, however.

It is widely believed in these circles that Obama was chosen due to the low-level of political controversy it would cause in the aftermath. The committee understood that although confusion and cries of upset might be issued from the general public, on a political level he was a safe and non-confrontational choice and that within a relatively short period of time these protests would die down. Apparently some of the other nominees elected had the potential to cause strain to political ties and/or relations had they been chosen to win the prize.

Another fact I'd like to point out is that Obama was only in office for about two weeks before the date of the deadline for submissions for the winner...A period which I'm sure most people will agree is far too short a time to decide upon a yet unproven president to be given such a prestigious award.

Mahatma Gandhi was elected for the Peace prize five times yet never won. This is not only an embarrassment and a slap to the face of the nominees who SHOULD have been awarded the prize instead of Obama; the hundreds of individuals who EARNED the right to be called a Peace Prize recipient, it is a severe degradation of the honor and prestige of all past and future recipients as well as the moral worth of the award itself.

Obama should have graciously rejected the nomination. In taking it he only cheapened both his own legacy and that of the Nobel Peace Prize. Alfred Nobel is turning in his grave (or should be).

He was only in office for two weeks before the deadline of the Nobel peace prize nominations. What did he do for the those two weeks to have granted him this prize? Not a single thing.

What has he done since the deadline for the nominations that has given him the edge over the others? Not a single thing.

he has gone across the world, bashing and apologizing for America and what we have done. he has given the Queen an I-pod filled with music. He has invited other leaders from not so friendly countries so they can have a pow wow about how horrible they were treated or shunned by past American presidents and Americans and of course tried to meet them in the so called middle ground.

What has he done to get this award that is now becoming a joke? Again, not a single thing.

Some claim he was picked because what he is laying down, by apologizing and meeting, ground work for a future that will hold no terrorists, better life. Some claim the world is looking for a super power and he is opening it up and possibly filling those shoes. Who knows why they choose him for sure (we all know they are not going to say it is because he is the first African American President.). I do know the Nobel Peace Prize will no longer have the image it is used to have too. It will no longer become a coveted award. It will become a joke award. An award no longer upheld as being worthy to most Americans and others. Congrats to the Nobel Committee.

Because the Peace Prize has degenerated into a popularity contest, given all too often to the 'flavor of the month', the person or group who is grabbing the most headlines.

In the science categories of the Nobels, work is usually recognized years or decades after it it done. The reason for that is that the Nobel committee wants to be able to look back using the wisdom of time and evaluate whether the work had a lasting impact.

The Peace Prize, on the other hand, is used to reward transient, short term impact. It is the equivalent to Time Magazine's Man of the Year, who is often forgotten within a few years, as life moves on. Or the Grammy for Best New Artist, rewarding potential rather than actual talent or work.

A wasted award, which could have been used by the many organizations that REALLY work for global peace to get some needed publicity and recognition.

I think Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize not only because of who he is and because of the goal of world peace that he is striving for, but also very much because of the many millions who he represents. The President has embraced many good causes from many people around the world, not just in the United States. In light of that, he emerges as an extraordinary person and President during extraordinary times, one who is worthy indeed to receive this honor...

In short, that is my reasoning why the current President has won this award. Some say that it is just because he is a black man, yet do not acknowledge that he is also a very intelligent and caring individual. It would appear that the Obama Presidency has the intention, the potential and the ability to allow the United States and the world to diminish and avoid the serious problems among the many and diverse cultures and ethnic groups that have existed in the past. This is another important reason why the President of the United States has won this award.

I, as a liberal am extremely surprised as well. I support Obama for the most part, he doesn't have much of a record so far. I also believe the Nobel Peace Prize in itself has become less and less meaningful, but whether that is a representation of the judges or a representation of the humankind, I don't know. I believe Obama was given this prize for his efforts towards international communication. In a way I'm glad he has done close to nothing in his first year, 1. it makes all the people claim he's horrible and a dictator seem even crazier and irrational -you are really making it hard for me to respect mankind. 2. If he messes up.... the consequences are painful even to imagine. The damage it would do for another black presidential hopeful, the damage for a female presidential hopeful, and the damage to American morale- if a Republican screwed us over and then a Democrat screwed us over, what will we do as a people? I ask this both sincerely and sardonically, we should be united, all this party nonsense is just ruining what little we have. Maybe we disagree with the meaning of the second amendment, but I think we can all agree America is beautiful and so are the people in it if we can only get past our own world views. You are not helping anyone by not supporting our president, I learned that with George Bush, just pray that WE do alright and despite Obama's party allegiance he does what's best for US.

Our new President has been in office for a real short time he has other countries now looking at the united states in a more favorable way. During the Bush administration the united states was looked upon as a war mongrel with a take no prisoners attitude. Under our new President Obama is showing that the united states is not a war mongrel and we can sit down and talk it over while having a beer. This makes for a more calming throughout the rest of the world. This is why he received the prize. He did not invent the wheel he just put the groves back on the wheel.

I hear that people are real upset with him in this country. Those that are mad are republicans. Or liberals that have no clue to what he is doing.

But at least we have headed back in the right direction instead of this war mongrel attitude. And for a person to have started in a world of disarray i think he has done a pretty dog gone good job in the 10 months he has been office. So if some people do not think he should win the prize then tell us how you would of gone about turning things around maybe they would be the prize winner instead.

Since the 1950s the Nobel Prize Committee has had a uniquely leftist point of view. Then again what more in the west could we expect from a socialist nation? That being said however, I could at least see SOME justification in the awarding of the prize to Al Gore and even Jimmy Carter; but this is just ridiculous. If I knew that the criteria for a Nobel Peace Prize was to promise to try and do something and some time that may in fact promote peace then I would've made the same claims. If Barack Obama deserves this award then I deserve the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize because they wanted to make a statement. The Nobel Prize committee wanted to throw their support behind Obama because he reflects a much more European style in politics for America. Many of Obama's social and economic policies are at least somewhat European in a way. Many of them are based on European programs and laws. His healthcare reform plan would be the biggest of these.

This is not the fist time they have done this. Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as an answer to George W Bush's policy on Iraq. Bush was working on starting a war, so the Nobel Peace Prize committee gave the prize to a former president that did a lot for peace in the Middle East.

I do think is race and background may have played a role, but a minor one. However, politics was the major driving force in my opinion.

Obama was nominated just weeks after he was inaugurated. Prior to him becoming president (and to a point, after) he had not done anything that affected the world outside Illinois, let along the US.

Okay the Nobel Committee thought very highly if his recent efforts in the world arena, and the Nobel prize is often used as a bully pulpit for the cause of peace (the way so many involved in the conflict in Northern Ireland have won, even though it is such a small unimportant conflict; the prize was meant to have a strong effect there BECAUSE it was a small conflict.

They are trying to bolster a president they see as committed to the cause of international unity. But he has not DONE anything (yet) to WARRANT the award, so it ends up making him look fake, and pointing out that he needs bolstering.

For Obama, this award is a disaster. The Europeans apparently cannot fathom the American mindset. So they laid a land mine to blow "Mr. Center" towards the left. If it works, it will be a disaster for Obama and if it doesn't it will make a mockery of the prize.

[Oh, and Gandhi never won the Peace prize. Too many "better" candidates around I guess.]

Personally I don't know why he won the nobel peace prize. Last time I checked you actually had to accomplish the task rather than just make some promise that can not be guaranteed in two terms. Also the past few weeks the news reports told about a few crimes based on hate. So I think it's some propaganda at hand.

Finally why should Theodore Roosevelt get it? He's a progressive along with Woodrow Wilson who possibly is with the New World Order and Jimmy Carter who is just some @$$&*!% who runs his mouth.

If you ask me the nobel peace prize means nothing but a warning sign that civil war may be inevitable. :(