Thursday, December 10, 2009

Nobel

I watched the ceremony this morning with mixed feelings. Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland gave a very persuasive speech about why the prize was awarded to Obama, and I don't disagree with their decision. But even if it weren't for the reasons that Obama is very much Not George Bush, or perhaps even more importantly, Not John McCain, those alone are sufficient reasons to honor him. Obama's speech was characteristically beautiful, yet I cringed when he said:
Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.
and then later:
Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure - and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.
Yikes.

Still, I'm proud of him for what he has achieved, and grateful for the willingness of the world community to continue to put their faith in us. May we earn it.

3 comments:

heydave said...

I guess we will be seeing Dick Cheney and Karl Rove doing the perp walk after all!

AnnPW said...

I believe it will happen, HD! It may take 30 years - God, I hope not, but it might - but it will happen.

Ruth said...

Agreed, it will happen. We aren't a nation of laws until we prosecute law violators.