Did you know that Mahatma Ghandi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 5 times?  Despite these nominations, he never won the Peace Prize.  Think about that for a second.  A person whose name is synonymous with peace over a period of many years was consistently ignored, yet today we find out that Barack Obama wins the Peace prize.

     After less than 9 months in office, Barack Obama obviously doesn't deserve this award.  What's even more shocking is that the deadline for nomination was February 1st, 2009.  Since Barack Obama took office less than two weeks before the deadline, Obama's win is based on about 12 days in office and a stack of campaign speeches that were mainly written by other people.   The United States is involved in a war in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, drone attacks in Pakistan, and he may be sending more troops to Afghanistan in the near future. 

     It seems strange to give a peace prize to someone who is the leader of a country involved in so many military operations.  Of course, we have the Obama administration's decision to back down on a European missile shield, along with a continued open attitude toward Iran.  Remember Iran? The country led by a man who denies the Holocaust, regularly threatens Israel, and is working on its nuclear technology.  This isn't a reward for the accomplishment of peace, it's an award for policy decisions that will weaken our nation's defense and contribute to future vulnerability.  This is what the Nobel committee seems to admire.

     It's funny how the committee which chooses the winner sees such great promise in Barack Obama's ability to bring peace, while all I can see is the next Neville Chamberlain.