🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 99 (from laksa159)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa099.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/09/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/09/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why","crawl_time":1774546291,"first_indexed_time":1463101910,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,theguardian!www,\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why s443","src_root_hash":"4161074618625082499","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Barack Obama's Nobel prize: why now? | Barack Obama | The Guardian","meta_descriptions":["Giving Barack Obama the Nobel peace prize so early in his presidency could hinder rather than help his diplomatic efforts"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"The\nNobel peace prize\nis an odd thing. It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam.\nIt has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship.\nIndeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his \"untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts\".\nWhich is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises.\nThe citation describes his \"his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples\" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation.\nWhich is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in \"resetting\" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge.\nThe reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to\nBarack Obama\nfor what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting.","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=us-news)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why#navigation)\n\n[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why#navigation)\n\n[Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe\/weekly?REFPVID=mn7r1m3v786sln64e5y7&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn7r1m3v786sln64e5y7%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2009%2Foct%2F09%2Fbarack-obama-nobel-prize-why%22%7D)\n\n[Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n\n[Sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)\n\nEur\n\n- [Europe edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/eur)\n- [UK edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/uk)\n- [US edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/us)\n- [Australia edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/au)\n- [International edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/int)\n\n[The Guardian - 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It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam.\n\nIt has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship.\n\nIndeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his \"untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts\".\n\nWhich is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises.\n\nThe citation describes his \"his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples\" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation.\n\nWhich is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in \"resetting\" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge.\n\nThe reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to [Barack Obama](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/barack-obama) for what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting.\n\nExplore more on these topics\n\n- [Barack Obama](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/barack-obama)\n- [Nobel peace prize](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nobelpeaceprize)\n- [US foreign policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/us-foreign-policy)\n- [Obama administration](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/obama-administration)\n- [news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/news)\n\nShare\n\n[Reuse this content](https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2009%2Foct%2F09%2Fbarack-obama-nobel-prize-why&type=article&internalpagecode=world\/2009\/oct\/09\/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why \"Reuse this content\")\n\n### Most viewed\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/561596e80905bd00a670e5471ebe1e418c06f817\/764_0_3854_3084\/master\/3854.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) First Thing: Iran rejects US ceasefire plan and submits 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[![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/04e77861726ea9e52a75df81b79c070d144a866e\/683_0_6827_5464\/master\/6827.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Lawyers for ICE gave false information to justify detaining thousands, filings reveal](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/26\/ice-lawyers-justify-detaining-on-false-information)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1ea1cdb5049b4a9d54b00dc219a857ce538df6a9\/548_0_3682_2946\/master\/3682.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Creator of AI actor Tilly Norwood says she received death threats over project](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2026\/mar\/26\/tilly-norwood-ai-actor-creator-backlash-death-threats)\n\n## More on this story\n## More on this story\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/b29f9ac29b89ab5929632673faeaaed304bc3525\/0_283_4256_2555\/master\/4256.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Nobel peace prize awarded to Barack Obama\n  9 Oct 2009\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2009\/09\/24\/obamanuclear460xc276.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Nobel peace prize citation for Barack Obama\n  9 Oct 2009\n- ### I hope Nobel members feel pleased with themselves, the smug idiots\n  9 Oct 2009\n  \n  [39 39 comments](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/blog\/2009\/oct\/09\/obama-nobel-peace-prize-michael-white#comments)\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2009\/10\/09\/obamanobel460x276.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Should Obama have accepted the Nobel prize?\n  9 Oct 2009\n  \n  [262 262 comments](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/michaeltomasky\/2009\/oct\/09\/nobel-peace-prize-obama#comments)\n\n## More from News\n## More from News\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/aa0e6da62cd7488b8611dc552fa9f1e72ecec8cf\/499_0_5018_4016\/master\/5018.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n 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![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7367c2c0d3de611d065237b8c55e14d547e4cd5c\/2_0_1472_1177\/master\/1472.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### TechnologyGoogle warns quantum computers could hack encrypted systems by 2029\n  2h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/046828b887363dee54d9e05a14dd4f23bb86d854\/316_385_2147_1717\/master\/2147.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Assisted dying Spanish woman wins legal battle to end her life under euthanasia law\n  16m ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f09eacb4303d1441b113d17ee1f99d6247c4cb15\/285_0_1350_1080\/master\/1350.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### PalestineIsraeli strike hits Deir al-Balah camp in Gaza, killing at least one person\n  1h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/46c27e58b6e8ed66fba7d82bbd4e964ee4d8d150\/0_0_4678_3744\/master\/4678.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ItalyItaly seizes €20m of assets allegedly bought with money embezzled from Ursula Andress\n  5h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f18fa65cbc7714616bfdc5a8253a2ab2da53fc04\/0_0_629_504\/master\/629.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### ScienceSperm get lost in space, Australian research into microgravity impacts suggests\n  2h ago\n\n## Comments (…)\n[Sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_COMMENTS_SIGNIN&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dsignin_to_comment) or [create your Guardian account](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_COMMENTS_SIGNIN&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dregister_to_comment) to join the discussion\n\n## Comments (179)\nThis discussion is now closed for comments but you can still [sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_COMMENTS_SIGNIN&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dsignin_to_comment) or [create your 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allies, and that is fighting without them ' Winston Churchill  \n  I provide this quote to offer some rational to reconsider the Euro proclivity of sycophantic methods to persuade Obama in particular and the US in general that America should wholly stand down militarily and industrially so you may again assume your self appointed preordained world position. The absence of that position occurs because the US is wholly to blame for your deficits in self-reliance and self-direction and thus your decent from world leadership positions. I submit that you will regret the absence of a Cowboy as the US Commander in Chief and a US to be a real part of some to the many efforts to correct the past century historical events you would not or were just not inclined to address. We have been you Allies for the past century and longer and any reduced US participation is not a realistic part of any Euro planning or consideration. For unrealized short term gains you remain perfectly willing to sacrifice your neighbor countries in the historical Nevil Chamberlain method.\n  \n  \"Whatever you say they have ways of twisting it into shapes which put in some lower category of mankind, 'Fascist,  \n  'Trotskyist,' and disparage you both intellectually and personally in the process.\" F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote on Hollywood leftists of the Thirties. And apparently the proclivity of the new \"Nobel Hope Prize\" committee as well.\n- ![josek](https:\/\/avatar.guim.co.uk\/user\/3906525)\n  \n  ![](https:\/\/avatar.guim.co.uk\/user\/3906525)\n  \n  [josek](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/user\/id\/3906525)\n  \n  [11 Oct 2009 3.58](https:\/\/discussion.theguardian.com\/comment-permalink\/6351842)\n  \n  [josek](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/user\/id\/3906525)\n  \n  [11 Oct 2009 3.58](https:\/\/discussion.theguardian.com\/comment-permalink\/6351842)\n  \n  0\n  \n  oh God ! I never imagined that the nobel peace prize would come so cheap.So bizzare.Long live Obama.\n\nView more comments\n\n## Most viewed\n## Most viewed\n- [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/tabs-popular-0)\n- [Most viewed in US news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2009\/oct\/09\/tabs-popular-1)\n\n### Most viewed Across the\\&nbsp;Guardian\n1. 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All rights reserved.\n\n(dcr)","attrs_readable_markdown":"The [Nobel peace prize](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nobelpeaceprize) is an odd thing. It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam.\n\nIt has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship.\n\nIndeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his \"untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts\".\n\nWhich is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises.\n\nThe citation describes his \"his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples\" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation.\n\nWhich is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in \"resetting\" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge.\n\nThe reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to [Barack Obama](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/barack-obama) for what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting.","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Description	Giving Barack Obama the Nobel peace prize so early in his presidency could hinder rather than help his diplomatic efforts
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Boilerpipe Text	The Nobel peace prize is an odd thing. It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam. It has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship. Indeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his "untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts". Which is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises. The citation describes his "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation. Which is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in "resetting" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge. The reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to Barack Obama for what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting.
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This article is more than 16 years old [Peter Beaumont](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/peterbeaumont) Giving Barack Obama the Nobel peace prize so early in his presidency could hinder rather than help his diplomatic efforts Fri 9 Oct 2009 14.09 CEST Share [179179](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/09/barack-obama-nobel-prize-why#comments) The [Nobel peace prize](https://www.theguardian.com/world/nobelpeaceprize) is an odd thing. It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam. It has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship. Indeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his "untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts". Which is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises. The citation describes his "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation. Which is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in "resetting" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge. The reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to [Barack Obama](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/barack-obama) for what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting. 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The absence of that position occurs because the US is wholly to blame for your deficits in self-reliance and self-direction and thus your decent from world leadership positions. I submit that you will regret the absence of a Cowboy as the US Commander in Chief and a US to be a real part of some to the many efforts to correct the past century historical events you would not or were just not inclined to address. We have been you Allies for the past century and longer and any reduced US participation is not a realistic part of any Euro planning or consideration. For unrealized short term gains you remain perfectly willing to sacrifice your neighbor countries in the historical Nevil Chamberlain method. "Whatever you say they have ways of twisting it into shapes which put in some lower category of mankind, 'Fascist, 'Trotskyist,' and disparage you both intellectually and personally in the process." F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote on Hollywood leftists of the Thirties. And apparently the proclivity of the new "Nobel Hope Prize" committee as well. - ![josek](https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/3906525) ![](https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/3906525) [josek](https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/3906525) [11 Oct 2009 3.58](https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/6351842) [josek](https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/3906525) [11 Oct 2009 3.58](https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/6351842) 0 oh God ! I never imagined that the nobel peace prize would come so cheap.So bizzare.Long live Obama. View more comments ## Most viewed ## Most viewed - [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/09/tabs-popular-0) - [Most viewed in US news](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/09/tabs-popular-1) ### Most viewed Across the\ Guardian 1. 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Readable Markdown	The [Nobel peace prize](https://www.theguardian.com/world/nobelpeaceprize) is an odd thing. It has gone to institutions – Amnesty, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Médecins Sans Frontières and the UN's peacekeeping forces; to those involved in attempting to make peace despite having blood on their hands, such as Yasser Arafat, and to figures such as Henry Kissinger who was more associated in the public imagination with the war in Vietnam. It has gone to symbols of peace – such as the Dalai Lama – and some more questionable figures, such as Mother Teresa. Most notably it has gone to relentless campaigners for human rights, equality and the ending of violence: Jimmy Carter, Aung San Su Kyii, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. What unites the best winners is not simply an inspirational discourse but the sense they stand for something. Actions achieved or a long commitment to an ideal, often through hardship. Indeed, the reasoning behind the awarding of the prize to previous American presidents has been easier to discern. Teddy Roosevelt opened the court of arbitration in the Hague and helped mediate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan; Woodrow Wilson was the founder of the League of Nations. Jimmy Carter won his prize for his "untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts". Which is what makes the awarding of this year's prize to a president who has been in office for a mere nine months an odd departure. It is as if the prize committee had been persuaded to give the award on the future delivery of promises. The citation describes his "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples" in his outreach to the Muslim world and efforts to end nuclear proliferation. Which is all very well, except that Obama is fighting wars in two Islamic states – Iraq and Afghanistan – and his efforts at international diplomacy, notwithstanding his powerful desire to achieve quick results, has thus far shown almost no progress in pushing forward peace talks in the Middle East and only very partial progress on Iran. It is true that he has made real advances in "resetting" US-Russian relations, not least over his decision to cancel an anti-missile shield that was to be based in eastern Europe, but the consequences of that engagement are too early to judge. The reality is that the prize appears to have been awarded to [Barack Obama](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/barack-obama) for what he is not. For not being George W Bush. Or rather being less like the last president. The question now is whether having being anointed perhaps too early by the committee, a Nobel prize earned so cheaply and at so little cost will help him in his efforts on the international stage or rather be an albatross around his neck. Something against which all his future efforts will be judged – and perhaps found wanting.
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