I awakened in the middle of the night and found that my television was still on, tuned to Fox News. Moments later there was breaking news: Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize. I pinched myself to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming (I’ll have bruises for days), made a cup of tea and went back to my television. Of course, I couldn’t fall asleep again – could you?
My thoughts and feelings are doing battle with my pragmatic, analytical side (granted that occupies a small part of my predominately “creative” brain). I felt a sense a déjà vu this morning, remembering how I felt after the election results were announced last November. How could this have happened? How could Obama, an inexperienced politician with shady friends, a communist mentor and sealed birth and college records prevail against a war hero, former POW, a respected senior senator with notable legislative experience who had a dynamic and accomplished running mate at his side?
After the election, the easiest way to describe my feelings was to create an analogy with a computer that has been fed bad information; it doesn’t compute, it slows down the machine and causes internal dissonance. I feel some internal dissonance today…
May I say it? Un-freaking believable! (I have some other, more colorful, observations, but shall restrain myself.)
When I first started this blog, I intended to write about the nascent conservative movement that is gaining momentum and attracting millions of concerned Americans. This movement, in my opinion (shared by many conservative commentators) is on its way to becoming a revolt. As a former political wallflower, I want to support this movement, in whatever (peaceful) direction it travels, but first let me express my thoughts about today’s news. I’ll publish another blog, The Conservative Tsunami: A Fight for Freedom, on Monday.
Back to today’s news…
According to news reports, Mr. Obama’s nomination for the prize (the person who nominated Obama will not be identified unless he/she voluntarily steps forward) happened within twelve days after his inauguration. The deadline for nominations was February 1, 2009. The Nobel Committee sent out invitation letters to individuals qualified to nominate in September 2008, two months before the election.
“Whatever their motives, the decision of the committee to give the peace prize so early to President Obama was perverse and premature. The prize, the most prestigious of its kind in the world, should be given in either of two sets of circumstances.” – London Times (Sir Malcolm Rifkind was Defence Secretary and Foreign Secretary, 1992-1997. He is MP for Kensington and Chelsea.)
As I peruse news web sites and blogs, I find that most conservatives and many liberals share my internal dissonance and question what has Obama done to deserve this honor?
“Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America's first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.
Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.” – London Times
Around the globe and across the Internet, on conservative and liberal sites, there is confusion and questions about the appropriateness of this award, at this time. Forget the fact that Mr. Obama was nominated a week and half into his presidency; what did he accomplish in those twelve days that warranted a nomination? What has he done since then to merit such an honor? Something is stinky in …Sweden (and Norway)…
The consensus is NOTHING. Yes, he’s been very busy closing Gitmo (that closure is currently delayed. Obama never defined an exit strategy for Guantanamo Bay or its detainees), travelling aboard Air Force One for world-wide apology tours (and dates with his wife), as well as devising a massive, expensive health care plan that he intends to foist on Americans – whether they want it or not. If you don’t want it – too bad; he will “fine” you if you choose not to buy health insurance (not tax, “fine.” The difference is very subtle, in my humble opinion).
What Obama has done is drive our country into unprecedented debt, bailed out the automobile and banking industries with hastily written bills that were expeditiously forced to a vote without allowing our representatives time to read the legislation and deceived us about his socialist intentions regarding wealth redistribution plans. Let’s not even mention his promise of “transparency in government.”
In brief (trust me, the list is overwhelming) Obama has, so far, failed to live up to many of his campaign promises, including his determination to focus on winning the war in Afghanistan. Mr. Obama continues to delay a decision regarding additional troop deployment requested by General McChrystal. Our troops must wonder how committed their commander in chief is to their personal safety and the completion of a successful mission.
“The Nobel Peace Prize has come too early for Barack Obama. The US president cannot point to any real diplomatic successes to date and there are few prospects of any to come.” – Der Spiegel, Germany
A fellow conservative blogger, Upinak The Palination -- http://www.thepalination.com, is more concerned with the morale and well-being of our troops than in today’s farcical announcement about the Peace Prize. Upinak urges the blog’s readers to copy and paste portions of the following into their own blogs and posts. I’m happy to do so:
“…I have more to worry about than an ignorant attempt at someone who has no concept of peace in this time. How about the low morale that our Marines and Troops are dealing with at the moment? Or the fact that Obama will not help OUR Military!
At this moment, I have had numerous emails coming in to ask to help. Help Sarah Palin, help our Troops and Marines. Just help out in general and since Track Palin had his mom, Sarah come to the ceremony to welcome his unit home from Iraq and the fact I have a friend who is back home due to a horrible family accident, yet is stationed in Afghanistan, I and a co-worker of mine have decided to give back.
With your help… and to make a statement to Obama, the administration and to all those who do not care about our Marines, Troops and those over in Iraq and Afghanistan who are doing what is told, even if they do not agree.
Let us shower them with packages and remind them they are not forgotten. So how should this work? Adopt a Soldier, Squad, and a Platoon and here is how you can do it:
http://www.soldiersangels.org/
http://www.adoptaussoldier.org/
http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/
http://www.hugsforoursoldiers.org/
www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/rush_24_7_adopt_a_soldier
You can have monthly Church groups stuffing boxes. Your office can donate a few bucks a month to send a box. Or even have whatever organizations you are affiliated with send their own.
This link is a great source of information on what to send to your "adopted soldiers and marines".
http://www.operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html
I have been adopting soldiers and marines for years. This is the best defense against those who are on the offense concerning Iraq and Afghanistan. Who can you trust? The soldiers and marines who are there or the administration and Obama who do nothing? I pick our military! You will NEVER feel bad about helping those who need a good laugh and a package of love.”
Thanks, Upinak, for the perspective and advice.
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