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On Sept. 10, President Barack Obama became the recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. This has left many bewildered and questioning what he has really accomplished to deserve it.The Nobel Peace Prize has commonly been given out to people who accomplished something, such as Nelson Mandela and his quest for an apartheid-free South Africa.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that Obama is receiving this award “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Given Obama’s approach on nuclear weapons and his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy he more than well deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.

Although Obama has yet to accomplish much, the Nobel Committee feels that his standings on many issues are something to recognize and endorse.

“We want to promote what he stands for and this is a long-standing history of the Nobel Committee,” said Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee, in an interview with CNN.

It seems as though Obama’s standing as U.S. President has been the main contention against him winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Because he is the president it seems that some people are holding him to a higher standard than others.

Jagland said that Obama’s cause is deserving of the prize because he embodies a shift among the world’s powers, a shift toward something more unified.

“We do want to emphasize that there is a need now for strengthening diplomacy, for resolving conflicts and that’s what Barack Obama is trying to do,” said Jagland.

Obama is attempting to unite the world through diplomacy in addition to attempting to rid the world of nuclear arms.

The Nobel Committee seems to have given him the prize in an attempt to galvanize his actions and give other nations someone to emulate.

Jagland feels that this need to strengthen diplomacy has to be adopted by other nations, and, talks of peace are necessary.

Although that Obama is currently leading two wars, Jagland responds with the fact that this is all in the name of diplomacy.

“I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century,” said Obama while accepting the prize. “These challenges can’t be met by any one leader or any one nation and that’s why my administration has worked to establish a new era.”

Obama echoes what the Nobel Committee feels and what many of his opponents should grasp. Obama’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize is an attempt by the Nobel Committee to give the world a policy to emulate and hopefully establish a new era of international diplomacy.

Despite much criticism, Obama’s efforts on the international front to strengthen diplomacy and limit nuclear weapons are efforts well endorsed by the Nobel Prize Committee.

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