President Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Friday, resulting in surprise and shock for a large part of the global community.
While the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated that Obama received the award based on his efforts in strengthening international cooperation and diplomacy, such as his role in the nuclear proliferation discussions and his outreach to Muslim nations, many were surprised at the timing of the award.
This comes in light of the fact that the nomination deadline was Feb. 1, less than two weeks after Obama’s inauguration.
“It was very surprising,” said Robert Trager, an assistant professor in the UCLA political science department. “But all the intractable problems from before are still in tune ““ there is no transposable effect.”
Trager added that the award may lead to unintended consequences for the president.
“It may be a liability ““ he’s seen as having star power in other parts of the globe,” he said. “But if the worst thing you have about you is respect around the world, it’s not so bad.”
He added that ironically, the prize may make it harder for Obama to make peace throughout the world, based on his image as a peaceable leader.
He cited the example of former President Richard Nixon’s visit to China, which greatly improved relations between the two countries. He said that this was because of Nixon’s reputation as a leader who used military force and the fact that this was an uncommon move for the president.
In contrast, he said that if Obama wanted to make war, his reputation as a calm and collected commander could make his threats more serious.
However, Trager said that the award’s value is more symbolic.
“It’s a very nice honor for him, but it doesn’t change the facts on ground.”