Nobel peace prize winner Barack Obama speaking in Cairo this year in an effort to improve relations between Muslims and the US. Photograph: Larry Downing/Reuters
President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his nascent initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and replace unilateral American action with international diplomacy and cooperation.
Nobel observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama woke up to the news a little before 6 a.m. EDT. The White House had no immediate comment on the announcement, which took the administration by surprise.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation but recognized initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.
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When I first read this headline, I thought it was a spoof and checked the source of the news. Seemed real. Checked other news papers on the net and they all had the same news.
I asked myself, why? The explanation the Nobel Committee gave, makes lots of sense. Almost anyone coming into the US presidency after someone so evil and warmongering as George W. Bush would have probably won this prize.
Chimp
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