Much to a general surprise, President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Immediately, two questions were posed: Did he deserve the award? Was it premature to give it to him? The Nobel Committee specifically spoke of his efforts to improve the international atmosphere by re-invigorating multilateral diplomacy as well as the United Nations. But, they also recognized his call for reducing nuclear weapons at the same time as restarting disarmament negotiations. The Committee’s citation referred to both his efforts and certain tangible results.
Perhaps another question is more relevant: What will be the consequences of the award? While there has been surprising criticism of the award from the left and right as well as congratulations from Fidel Castro, there has been less speculation of how the award will affect President Obama’s future activities.
Internationally, President Obama will have an increased aura, if that is possible. During his trips outside the United States, he has been treated as a mega rock star. The award will only increase his personal popularity. But, and the but is important, will it help him to finalize his foreign policy priorities? After all, other Nobel Peace Prize winners have failed to finalize a Middle East peace accord.
Domestically, the situation is less promising. The Prize will be seen as a negative confirmation of his Open Hand Policy. Those who were critical of his cosmopolitanism will have more reason to present him as un-American. In his press conference after the award was announced, President Obama referred to his role as Commander in Chief of the U.S. armed forces to remind people that just because he was the winner of the award, he might still send the requested 40,000 troops to Afghanistan. His priorities, we were told, remain U.S. priorities. In effect, he was re-iterating that he was President of the United States and not the world’s leader, as many would hope.
How can a Nobel Peace Prize have negative consequences for the winner? Indeed, that is the real question that he must answer and avoid.
