Whither the healing touch?

Rarely is a Nobel given on the promise of a future delivery, than on the body of work actually done before. But when Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, was conferred the Nobel this year “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”, an astonished world summed up on Facebook and Twitter that ‘that indeed must be the case’.

As a Kenyan journalist wondered on Facebook, “Nobel or Political Oscars?: Has Obama resolved the Middle-East conflict? Nyet. Has he stopped the Taliban horrors in Afghanistan? Nyet. Has he shut down Gitmo? Nyet. Drug wars in Mexico won? Nyet. Somalia at peace? Nyet. No more drive-by shootings in South Central? Nyet...what peace?

Another journalist surmised that the Prize for Obama is a strategic move on the part of Nobel Committee, as now Obama will be forced to engage in peace process and end the confrontations. Well, to that one can say, when has the US, or for that matter any power in the world been held back by moral compulsions?

Obama perhaps also becomes that rare individual to gain the instant stamp so soon into his presidency.

He was sworn in on January20 and according to media report the nominations for Nobel Prize were finalised on February 1, just 11 days into Obama’s presidency.

What achievements did he have to show in just those 11 days? Is it the new hope he has given to the world that he will depart from Bush policies? Is the fact of being the first Black President and breaking that barrier an achievement enough (Obama had categorically stated his colour should not be considered as a factor in his electoral fortunes).

If so, what has been Obama’s achievement in the last one year, besides grappling with a failing economy in the form of signing a rescue package of $787 billion and fighting an increasingly difficult battle in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is in fact creating more complications on Ground Zero of fight against terror?

In 1993, when Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres had won the Nobel Peace Prize collectively, at least some semblance of peace had been achieved in the region, albeit temporarily. Can we call any of the confrontations being ended under Obama? You know the answer.

New order
Earlier, in November 2008 Barack Obama, the Democratic Party nominee won the 2008 US presidential election to become the 44th president elect of the United States of America. At 47, Obama became one of the youngest and first African American to hold the post. Obama scored 338 electoral votes while his opponent McCain could only manage 163. Obama, with 52 per cent of the vote, soundly trounced McCain’s 47 per cent.

In his speech at the oath taking, Obama apprised the Americans of the challenges ahead:
“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

“These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

“On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”

Reaching out
In his first interview to Arab TV channel Al-Arabiya, he announced loud and clear that Muslims should not see Americans as their enemy. He also said that his administration would make serious efforts of reaching out to the Muslim world. Obama also recently signed executive orders which end Central Intelligence Agency’ secret interrogation programme.

In an hour-long speech to an international Muslim gathering in the Cairo University, Obama expressed his intention of ending the tensions between various faiths, and his belief against the inevitability of the clash of civilisations. In an effort to end the conflict in West Asia, he talked of a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine, and said he did not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. While admitting the aspiration for a Jewish homeland based on their tragic history, he said Palestine too had right to independent statehood. He also offered a chance of dialogue to Iran, without preconditions.