Obama's Nobel Prize sends readers to their keyboards

The following comments reflect the views of DW-WORLD.DE readers. Not all reader comments have been published. DW-WORLD.DE reserves the right to edit for length and appropriateness of content.

Nobel honor comes too early in Obama presidency

I am a US citizen, loyal to my country. President Obama is a talker. He issues grand visions from his mouth. In contrast, George Bush said little, evoked no praise, but did more to confront the real enemies of peace than has been done by President Obama. The world looks at this talker as a visionary. I think the world is deceived. The award of this prize so early cheapens it and is yet another mistake of the committee as was the choice of Arafat, Gore, and the others nominated in the past. -- Randolph A. Latall, US

Given that Obama has done absolutely nothing to merit the award of any peace prize, never mind the Nobel Peace Prize, simply goes to demonstrate how little value this prize now has beyond the 1.4 million euros to the recipient. It has more to do with adding cachet to the Nobel Prize via celebrity. If Obama had the slightest moral virtue, he would decline this prize. -- Charles Smyth, Great Britain

I think that he has shown good intentions and improved the atmosphere for peace. He has only been in office for nine months. Significant actions that he has accomplished were cancelling the missile defense shield, laying the ground work for Iran nuclear disarmament and solving the Georgia issue with Russia. Intentions have been substituted for results. -- John Reeder, US

Obama won for "efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation"

How can anybody be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize by just laying out a plan but has no hope of ever achieving much of the plan in reality? Many people realize Obama is not any more effective than the former Bush administration. By expanding military operations in Afghanistan, he is still listening to diverse lobby groups in Washington that advised G. W. Bush on a stalled foreign policy; from the Road to Peace in the Middle East, to nuclear disarmament of countries who should have never been allowed by the UN to acquire these weapons of mass destruction. -- G. Gosau, Canada

The Nobel Committee has recognized that President Barack Obama has set the stage for a worldwide era of enlightenment and peace. In the 18th Century, there was a philosophical wind that swept through the Western world. The Enlightenment espoused the principles of human dignity, freedom, and government by the people that are prominent in the texts of the Declaration of Independence and our US Constitution. Today we are experiencing the birth of a second "Age of Enlightenment" which will effect not only Western culture but have world-wide influence; shaping human history for years in the future. We are no longer satisfied with following leaders that tell us to stop thinking for ourselves but follow their direction on faith. We are invigorated with dialogue on nuclear disarmament, reconsidering the death penalty, renewable energy, international cooperation, social justice, environmental concerns, education, human rights, universal health care, sex education, religious tolerance, diplomacy and the true implications of the rule of law. Like any change, there is resistance. New social programs are called communist or socialist to distract the people from real purpose. Investments in our future are bashed as too expensive. We can't let this opportunity slip away, and it will, if we don't support it in our everyday lives by communicating with our leaders and discussing it with our friends. It is time for Americans to set aside our differences and unite for the common good of all. President Obama has presented us all with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and for that he deserves the Nobel Prize. -- Joseph Suste, US

One reader thinks Chinese President Hu Jintao was more deserving of the prize

It's official, the international community has lost its collective mind. Obama? Peace Prize? What, during his lifetime, has he done to serve the world in the pursuit of peace? Nothing. Clearly the Nobel Peace Prize should be renamed the "worlds most popular person prize." Frankly, I'm disgusted. -- Thor Hougen, US

I think he deserves it. He is the first African-American president who gives a hope for all peoples of the world. Here in Israel there is anti-Obama propaganda, even from the chairman of the Israeli parliament. It is clear that the Israeli public was anti-Obama during the 2008 US election, it was not his ideology but his skin color. -- Mequanint Birhanu, Israel

It is quite a recognition for just few months in the Oval Office. Personally, I like the choice but people who live in former Soviet republics are feeling the chilling wind from the East. Without the security blanket of the missile shield, it is going to be cold. I had President Hu Jintao as my favorite. Hu has done miracles with Putin's administration. He made him trade rather than wage war. Hu maintained China's one child policy risking demographic imbalance at home but globally it was a sound move. Hu is also instrumental at keeping peace in Asia Pacific region. He builds roads, railroad, schools and hospitals for Africans, instead of filling African corrupt government's officials pockets with money. Hu is only allowing his people to repossess Outer Mongolia by peaceful migration. I hope Hu will receive the Nobel Peace Price next year. -- Paul Heinila, Canada