The Nobel Prize should be a wake-up call for us on the Left.

[chieftain]

Very few of us reacted with anything other than surprise at the announcement of the award. My initial reaction was that this had to be a joke. Gradually through the day as I thought of what President Obama has done to support world peace in the short life of his administration, the wisdom of the Nobel Committee became apparent to me. I am afraid we have been so mesmerized with domestic matters and rancid RW attacks, the enormity of what Obama has done in repositioning the US as a force for peace and reconciliation has gone largely unnoticed.It is not remarkable that the media and the GOP devalue what has been done. What is most unfortunate is that on the left, many of us have been overly concerned about particular issues and have lost sight of the number of trans formative initiatives which have been launched by this administration.

[ananda]

1. Obama's presence on the world stage is much respected and admired.

We don't see it over here because our rightwing
media is so toxically overloaded with spin and attacks.

[safeinOhio]

2. I was much more shocked that

anyone thought Sarah Pallin would be considered for being the VP.

[chieftain]

3. And more shocking still is that

there are some that continue to believe that she is qualified to be president.

[lamp_shade]

4. K&R

[geckosfeet]

5. Also - our press and media considers the Obama administrations cooperation

with the other countries and the world as some kind of capitulation. My sense is that the press (and people) around the world admire his efforts tremendously.

All we hear are the local yokels crying in their beer that they want to see a birth certificate. That's the news in the good old USA - birthers and teabaggers.

[nevergiveup]

6. I have never seen the far left in this country so discombobulated.

There were some noted exceptions but in general way left liberals were as angry yesterday as the wing-nuts on the right. You expect this kind of hatred coming from Rush, Beck and company but to hear it from liberals was very disheartening. I agree with what Rachel Maddow said last night: "The president of the United States just won the Nobel Peace Prize and by any reasonable measure all Americans should be proud"

[Bluenorthwest]

11. I have never seen the far left in this country. Period.

And the only ones I know who think there is such a thing are right wing conservatives.

[Prism]

7. I have a lot of problems with his domestic policies

However, I very much enjoy the President's diplomatic initiatives. To date, they're my favorite part of his administration. Contra certain claims, it isn't about whether we can have what we want "right now!" but about the direction in which the administration chooses to move. On the diplomatic and foreign policy front, there will be no quick solution to Iraq or Afghanistan. Extraction will take time.

However, the administration has been moving in the right direction. That's all we can ask. Yesterday threw a spotlight on the tangible, desperately needed change in direction and tone America's foreign policy has needed. Could anyone imagine Bush dealing with the current Iran impasse?

I think the harsher someone is on a politician, the more responsibility they have to highlight when that person does something well. The President is doing very well here. I'm very pleased with him and his administration in this area.

[CitizenLeft]

12. well said.

[chieftain]

21. I have had my disappointments with the president.

I fear that he will be sucked into an escalation in Afghanistan and i am not at all comfortable with the Geitner/Summers approach to the economy. But I support Obama and believe he will move our country back on a path to living up to the best in our national mythology.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Yes, Chieftain, I agree

A healthy and proper perspective.

[HamdenRice]

9. Well said. Many seem not to have noticed the biggest withdrawal of US troops in 40 years

because it doesn't fit into their meme that Obama = Bush. The international community sees it even if the Trostkyite mob spams us with disinformation about what's actually going on.

But there it is on the front page of the NY Times.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6738015

Leaving Iraq Is a Feat That Requires an Army
By MARC SANTORA
Published: October 8, 2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — There is no more visible sign that America is putting the Iraq war behind it than the colossal operation to get its stuff out: 20,000 soldiers, nearly a sixth of the force here, assigned to a logistical effort aimed at dismantling some 300 bases and shipping out 1.5 million pieces of equipment, from tanks to coffee makers.

It is the largest movement of soldiers and matériel in more than four decades, the military said.

[morillon]

13. Thank you for posting that article.

All these people who say, "Oh, but we're still in Iraq, so how can he have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize?" should read that article.

[treestar]

22. Thank you, I have zero patience for those who think we can just

get out of Iraq overnight. Logistics would obviously come into play and we could do more damage by not getting out the right way.

[slackmaster]

10. I consider myself to be firmly in the center and I'm giving you a Rec

:kick:

[morillon]

14. I agree. The more I thought about it...

...the more I realized that it was absolutely appropriate. People way, way, way underestimate what he has done so far.

[samplegirl]

15. I beleive the real problem

is that no matter what a Republican does.....his party can find no fault. They back him till the bitter end.
The Democrats however...always find fault and never really stick together on anything.

[scheming daemons]

16. Not all of us... I've been practically screaming at how myopic the left has been acting

Not seeing the forest for the trees....

[girl gone mad]

17. The committee was making a statement.

I don't believe that they intended to reward the President's accomplishments. Clearly he doesn't see it that way, either.

In the context in which it was given, the prize is deserved.

[Bjorn Against]

18. The big thing Obama accomplished towards world peace was defeating the right-wing agenda

Obama's own record on issues of peace is not good when looked at on its own, all you need to do is look at Afghanistan to see why I do not think of him as a peace President in any way. Despite the fact that I am critical of Obama's war policy however I think I actually agree with the Nobel Committee's decision, because despite Obama's faults he is such an enormous improvement over the last administration that he has probably done more than any other single person to move us towards world peace. I think the prize was not for him individually so much as it was for all the people who organized to elect him and defeat the Bush/McCain agenda that was so destructive to world peace. When viewed as an individual Obama would be a really bad choice for the Nobel Prize, but when viewed in the larger context of what came before him and the movement that he helped inspire to change that then he becomes a very good choice.

[polichick]

19. His wide-angle view of the world has always been my favorite thing about him...

I credit his anthropologist mother for that ~ rare in the world of American politics, which leans more toward jingoistic nonsense.

[chieftain]

24. You're right about his "wide-angle" view of the world.

I think that is a great way to describe his global perspective. You're spot on about his mother's influence.For a short post, it was certainly crammed full with insight.

[Ikonoklast]

20. There were many governmants afraid of us and our nuclear capabilities

when we had a religiously insane ignorant fake cowboy as president, who had no problem invading a country that did nothing to deserve it.

Now, not so much as rationality, diplomacy and calm discourse has replaced divisive rhetoric, threats, and fear-mongering.

[gratefultobelib]

23. Excellent points. Thanks for this!

[vaberella]

25. Thank you. You're post clearly details the failure of the left wing side who screamed RW memes.

I was shocked by what I was hearing and the centralization on 2-3 issues versus the issues all around. I have to say I'm loving France and Europe with no Bush around. With Bush, when I was living in England, it was almost hell because of the comments I would get as an American. Now people think I'm Obama's sister and I'm gettin proposals. I just see that as the difference he's making versus the past where we were just unwelcome.

[branders seine]

26. Obama's global presence has been outstanding.

His domestic "accomplishments" so far? Not so much.

[Kablooie]

27. Once his presidential term is over it will be interesting to see how his career plays out.

I'll bet he will remain influential.