OSLO – Receiving the world's most prestigious peace prize, US President Barack Obama defended on Thursday, December 10, war as not only necessary but morally justified to bring peace.
"War is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings," Obama told an audience of international dignitaries at Oslo City Hall in his acceptance speech.
He admitted the complexity of being rewarded a peace prize while being the commander in chief of a country waging two wars.
"I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed," Obama said in a televised speech.
"And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict -- filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other."
Obama, the first sitting US president to win the prestigious prize in decades, defended the use of military force.
"[America] has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms," he said.
"The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans."
Only days ago, Obama ordered the deployment of 30,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan, which his country invaded in 2001.
American troops are still deployed in Iraq, which they invaded in 2003 to toppled the Saddam Hussein regime.
Protests
Many across the world were disappointed by Obama's elevation to a pantheon of winners alongside the likes of Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King before he has even spent a year in office.
"Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize -- Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela -- my accomplishments are slight," Obama admitted.
Making the decision in October, the Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Obama for nurturing a new era of engagement and multilateralism in US foreign policy.
Committee Chairman Thorbjoern Jagland again defended the decision at the prize ceremony.
"History can tell us a great deal about lost opportunities," he said.
"It is now, today, that we have the opportunity to support President Obama's ideas. This year's prize is indeed a call to action for all of us."
But that was not enough to satisfy disappointed hundreds, if not thousands, across the world.
Environmentalists, anti-war and anti-nuke organizations planned demonstrations in Oslo throughout the day.
Outside the Nobel Committee headquarter, protesters held up a banner reading "Obama you won the prize, now earn it."
Halfway around the globe, in Pakistan and Afghanistan, many blamed Obama for violence in their countries.
"The Nobel prize is for those who have made achievements, but Obama is a killer," Jabir Aftab, an engineer living in Pakistan's bombing-ravaged city of Peshawar, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Since Obama took office, US drone strikes targeting militants in the northwest tribal belt have increased and claimed more civilian lives.
"He is the president of a country which has a history of bloodshed and rises to a quarrel. How was he selected for this prize?"
In the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, 35-year-old Mullah sat on the side of the road selling second-hand mobiles, urging Obama to prove he deserved the prize.
"As it is, the 30,000 extra troops on their way to Afghanistan will add to war and violence 30,000 times."
Amanullah, a 45-year-old shopkeeper, was equally scathing.
"This is not a peace prize. This is a war prize."
IslamOnline
"War is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings," Obama told an audience of international dignitaries at Oslo City Hall in his acceptance speech.
He admitted the complexity of being rewarded a peace prize while being the commander in chief of a country waging two wars.
"I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed," Obama said in a televised speech.
"And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict -- filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other."
Obama, the first sitting US president to win the prestigious prize in decades, defended the use of military force.
"[America] has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms," he said.
"The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans."
Only days ago, Obama ordered the deployment of 30,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan, which his country invaded in 2001.
American troops are still deployed in Iraq, which they invaded in 2003 to toppled the Saddam Hussein regime.
Protests
Many across the world were disappointed by Obama's elevation to a pantheon of winners alongside the likes of Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King before he has even spent a year in office.
"Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize -- Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela -- my accomplishments are slight," Obama admitted.
Making the decision in October, the Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Obama for nurturing a new era of engagement and multilateralism in US foreign policy.
Committee Chairman Thorbjoern Jagland again defended the decision at the prize ceremony.
"History can tell us a great deal about lost opportunities," he said.
"It is now, today, that we have the opportunity to support President Obama's ideas. This year's prize is indeed a call to action for all of us."
But that was not enough to satisfy disappointed hundreds, if not thousands, across the world.
Environmentalists, anti-war and anti-nuke organizations planned demonstrations in Oslo throughout the day.
Outside the Nobel Committee headquarter, protesters held up a banner reading "Obama you won the prize, now earn it."
Halfway around the globe, in Pakistan and Afghanistan, many blamed Obama for violence in their countries.
"The Nobel prize is for those who have made achievements, but Obama is a killer," Jabir Aftab, an engineer living in Pakistan's bombing-ravaged city of Peshawar, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Since Obama took office, US drone strikes targeting militants in the northwest tribal belt have increased and claimed more civilian lives.
"He is the president of a country which has a history of bloodshed and rises to a quarrel. How was he selected for this prize?"
In the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, 35-year-old Mullah sat on the side of the road selling second-hand mobiles, urging Obama to prove he deserved the prize.
"As it is, the 30,000 extra troops on their way to Afghanistan will add to war and violence 30,000 times."
Amanullah, a 45-year-old shopkeeper, was equally scathing.
"This is not a peace prize. This is a war prize."
IslamOnline
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