I applauded when President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009, but today when he accepted the prize with a speech justifying his recent decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, I could not applaud.
I feel uneasy.
Some wars are necessary to keep the peace, he explained, sounding very much like the demagogues in George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four.
But the Roman Empire waged wars to preserve the pax romana. Even Hitler felt his motives for killing were impeccable.
Perhaps the Nobel Committee should think twice before awarding a Peace Prize to a sitting president. They say power corrupts, and who in the world is more powerful than a US president?
Well, I hope my Republican friends are happy. Their candidate didn't win, but their pressure is pushing President Obama into decisions John McCain would approve.
My only hope is that Obama is giving the Right more troops and time in Afghanistan in order to win a few more friends and votes for healthcare reform.
No comments:
Post a Comment