Thursday, December 10, 2009


Obama defends US wars as he accepts peace prize

OSLO – President Barack Obama entered the pantheon of Nobel Peace Prize winners Thursday with humble words, acknowledging his own few accomplishments while delivering a robust defense of war and promising to use the prestigious award to "reach for the world that ought to be."

A wartime president honored for peace, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president in 90 years and the third ever to win the prize — some say prematurely. In this damp, chilly Nordic capital to pick it up, he and his wife, Michelle, whirled through a day filled with Nobel pomp and ceremony.

And yet Obama was staying here only about 24 hours, skipping a slew of Nobel activities. This miffed some in Norway but reflects a White House that sees little value in extra pictures of the president, his poll numbers dropping at home, taking an overseas victory lap while thousands of U.S. troops prepare to go off to war and millions of Americans remain jobless.

Just nine days after ordering 30,000 more U.S. troops into battle in Afghanistan, Obama delivered a Nobel acceptance speech that he saw as a treatise on the use and prevention of war. He crafted much of the address himself and the scholarly remarks — at about 4,000 words — were nearly twice as long as his inaugural address.

In them, Obama refused to renounce war for his nation or under his leadership, saying defiantly that "I face the world as it is" and that he is obliged to protect and defend the United States.

"A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms," Obama said. "To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism, it is a recognition of history."

The president laid out the circumstances where war is justified — in self-defense, to come to the aid of an invaded nation and on humanitarian grounds, such as when civilians are slaughtered by their own government or a civil war threatens to engulf an entire region.

"The belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it," he said.

He also spoke bluntly of the cost of war, saying of the Afghanistan buildup he just ordered that "some will kill, some will be killed."

"No matter how justified, war promises human tragedy," he said.

But he also stressed the need to fight war according to "rules of conduct" that reject torture and other methods. And he emphasized the need to exhaust alternatives to violence, using diplomatic outreach and sanctions with teeth to confront nations such as Iran or North Korea that defy international demands to halt their nuclear programs or those such as Sudan, Congo or Burma that brutalize their people.

"Let us reach for the world that ought to be," Obama said. "We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace."

In awarding the prize to Obama, the Nobel panel cited his call for a world free of nuclear weapons, for a more engaged U.S. role in combating global warming, for his support of the United Nations and multilateral diplomacy and for broadly capturing the attention of the world and giving its people "hope."

The Nobel committee's announcement came in October when he wasn't even nine months on the job, recognizing his aspirations more than his achievements.

Echoing the surprise that seemed the most common reaction to his win, Obama started his 36-minute speech by saying that others who have done more and suffered more may better deserve the honor.

"I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage," the president said. "Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize ... my accomplishments are slight."

The list of Nobel peace laureates over the last 100 years includes transformative figures and giants of the world stage. They include heroes of the president, such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and others he has long admired, like George Marshall, who launched a postwar recovery plan for Europe.

Earlier, Obama had said the criticism might recede if he advances some of his goals. But, he added, proving doubters wrong is "not really my concern."

"If I'm not successful, then all the praise in the world won't disguise that fact," he said.

The timing of the award ceremonies, coming so soon after Obama's Afghanistan announcement, lent inspiration to peace activists.

The president's motorcade arrived at Oslo's high-rise government complex for Obama's meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as a few dozen anti-war protesters gathered behind wire fences nearby. Dressed in black hoods and waving banners, they banged drums and chanted anti-war slogans. "The Afghan people are paying the price," some shouted.

Greenpeace and anti-war activists planned larger demonstrations later that were expected to draw several thousand people. Protesters have plastered posters around the city, featuring an Obama campaign poster altered with skepticism to say, "Change?"

The debate at home over his Afghanistan decision also followed the president here. He told reporters that the July 2011 date he set for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to begin will not slip — but that the pace of the full drawdown will be gradual and conditions-based.

"We're not going to see some sharp cliff, some precipitous drawdown," Obama said.

Obama's first stop in Oslo was the Norwegian Nobel Institute, where the Nobel committee meets to make its decisions. After signing the guest book, Obama told reporters he had penned thanks to the committee and noted the pictures of former winners filling the wall, many of whom gave "voice to the voiceless."

In the evening, Obama was expected to wave to a torchlight procession from his hotel balcony and then stroll with Norwegian royalty to a dinner banquet, where he will offer a second set of remarks and cap his brisk jaunt to Europe. Having left Washington on Wednesday night, Obama was due back by midday Friday.

The Nobel honor comes with a $1.4 million prize. The White House says Obama will give that to charities but has not yet decided which ones.


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NWN: So Obama goes to war, and gets Nobel peace Prize ? I am sorry, I don't get this !
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17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it coz i is black ?

Anonymous said...

the bloke should be chasing cotton balls thats all his worth.

Anonymous said...

jew loveing nigger! it is ok to send our troop's to iraq .

Anonymous said...

them norwegians sure know how to suck a black cock!

Anonymous said...

Obama is doing Zion's work, he is destroying the USA with queer marriages, mass immigration, free drug use etc. Anybody elected as president has done the same in the past, it just escalating now at an alarming rate. The Jews want to destroy our world, they want to destroy the Muslims' world. We must fight back with fire!

Anonymous said...

We bloody well lost both our council seats tonight in Nuneaton and Epping and also got a shit result in Cumbria in another by-election, what's happening are all hands deserting the Good Ship BNP?

ex BNP street activist said...

nuneaton by election result camphill ward :

LAB 670
BNP 478
CON 275

BNP loose nearly 200 votes and loose the seat to the labour party ! Maybe the new breed of BNP members need to spend less time watching what us old activists are doing here on NWN and concentrate more on keeping and winning seats.Hold on tight to your dreams as they say.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Gri££in's magic is wearing off, Residences group beat us in Epping and Labour party in Midlands, not looking to good for the General Election at this rate? I should Gri££in doesn't care though now he has secured his million pound MEP wages and is playing at silly politics?

Anonymous said...

THE British National Party (BNP) has lost a seat on Loughton Town Council to the Independent Loughton Residents Association (LRA).

In a close three-way fight Katie Nicholson of the LRA won by just 23 votes ahead of The BNP’s Edward Long in the Loughton Broadway seat.

The full results are: • Katie Nicholson (LRA) – 257 votes • Edward Long (BNP) – 234 votes • Jill Bostock (Labour) – 204 votes • Iqbal Kalkatt – (Conservative) – 75 votes

The election was called after the resignation of the sitting BNP councillor Gary Martin.

Anonymous said...

That Clive Jefferson is a 'good' regional orgainser, well better than Griffin?

Hastings BC St. Helen's ward:

Con 609 (40.65)
Lab 550 (36.72)
LibD 210 (14.02)
BNP 93 (6.21)
EngD 36 (2.40)

2008 result

Con 994 (58.51)
Lab 412 (24.25)
LibD 293 (17.25)

Anonymous said...

BNP activists wasteing their time on junkets, while they should have been out campaigning in by-elections!!!!!!!

"The last group of British National party activist delegations to visit the European Parliament in Brussels this year as guests of Andrew Brons MEP have completed their tour, reports North West regional organiser Clive Jefferson.

“I and national organiser Eddy Butler took 50 BNP members on an extensive two day trip to Brussels earlier this month,” Mr Jefferson told BNP News."

Anonymous said...

Poor bastard and just before Christmas, but does Gri££in care?

Lancashire fires BNP member
10 Dec 2009


Lancashire Constabulary has fired one of its staff for being a member of the British National Party (BNP).

The civilian staff member was suspended in 2008 when his name appeared on a list of party members.
“Membership or promotion of the BNP by any member of the police service, whether police officer or police staff, is prohibited as it conflicts with our duty to promote equality,” a spokeswoman said.

Anonymous said...

the new ashfield bnp organizer stated the bnp was now the real nu labour,just look at the ashfield blog.

ps if they are the nu nu labour is that why it's so full of dummies!

Anonymous said...

that wood pile inhabitant obahma is he a muzzie or what?

Anonymous said...

STOP PRESS! VERY IMPORTANT. I've just received the December Members' Bulletin, Griffin is going to pulled a fast one, he has organised the EGM for weekend of January 30th & 31st, which is TWO DAYS after he has to appear in court to give the judge the decision on the party's non-Whites constitution change, what a f**king bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The weekend which should have be given over to the EGM Jan 24th is instead an Organisers' Conference, how bloody convenient?

Anonymous said...

Please note date of court case, when Griffin's solicitors are expected to give the decision!

"In an order issued at the Central London County Court this morning, the BNP has agreed to use all reasonable endeavours to revise its constitution so that it does not discriminate, either directly or indirectly on any 'protected characteristic' - for example on the grounds of race, ethnic or religious status - as defined in clause 4 of the Equality Bill. These changes must be carried out as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than three months from today.

The order also states that from 15 October 2009, until the new constitution comes into effect, BNP Chairman Nick Griffin will close the membership of the Party to all new membership applications and prevent the Party from accepting into membership any new member.

The case has been adjourned until 28 January 2010."

Anonymous said...

Holocaust Fraud Wiesel to Hungary: Make Holocaust Denial Illegal

'Elie Wiesel urged Hungary's leaders to do more to combat racism and anti-Semitism, and also to consider banning Holocaust denial.

"I urge you to do even more to denounce anti-Semitic elements and racist expressions in your political environment and in certain publications," the 81-year-old Holocaust survivor and human rights activist said. "I believe that they bring shame to your nation, and they bring fear to its Jewish community and other minorities, such as the Roma".'