“Seriously? 200 Euro for this bouquet?”
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso (L) receives flowers
from Atle Leikvoll, Norway’s Ambassador to the European Union
OSLO (Reuters) – The European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for promoting peace, democracy and human rights over six decades in an award seen as a morale boost as the bloc struggles to resolve its economic crisis.
The award served as a reminder that the EU had largely brought peace to a continent which tore itself apart in two world wars in which tens of millions died.
Hard to believe. But it’s true. The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sigh…
I particularly like the second paragraph, especially the part “the EU had largely brought peace to a continent which tore itself apart in two world wars in which tens of millions died”. Hhhmm, and there I was thinking it was troops from the USA, UK and the USSR which had finally brought peace (of a sort) to Europe back in 1945.
I guess as no one has invaded Poland or France since the late ’30s – early ’40s of the last century, Europe has been rather peaceful. Well, except for that whole Balkans thing in the ’90s. I guess as they’re not part of the European Union, that doesn’t really count. So yes, very peaceful.
How come Canada didn’t get the nod? They’ve been peaceful for way longer than 60 years.
Why is Europe now so very peaceful? So peaceful that they’ve been given an award for being peaceful. Yes, those wonderful Eurocrats have brought this about. They must be rewarded.
Why I remember seeing the documentaries of the Eurocrats storming ashore at Normandy…
No wait, that was the Allied armies. British, American, Canadian, Polish and French soldiers, sailors and airmen, Not a single Eurocrat in the bunch.
No wait, now I remember, the Eurocrats fought to the death at Stalingrad and destroyed Hitler’s Sixth Army…
Oops, those were Russian soldiers, sailors and airmen. Again, no Eurocrats shed their blood on the battlefields of the Eastern front.
Ah yes, that’s it. When the Cold War began and the Iron Curtain came down. The Eurocrats poured their treasure and troops in to hold back the Communist threat.
Nope, nope, nope. That’s not right. Those were nation-states that did that. The US, the UK, France, Holland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Italy and Denmark. No Eurocrats involved. And as I do recall, a lot of American tax dollars were used to build that bulwark against the God-less commies.
This is even stranger than when the Obummer got one “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” in October of 2009. When he’d been President for less than a year.
I suppose the Eurocrats should get some recognition for not starting World War III.
Sigh…
OldAFSaarge (BYW although I have never met you I think you are my kind of Sgt ) – When they award the peace prize to Yassar Arafat I lost respect for it – it has simply become a political award – who they want to “reward” regardless of anything tangible to show – (or who they want to “stick in the eye – I’m thinking George Bush – after all, Obama and Jimmy Carter (after a lot of personal lobbying) are also recipients.
About the only ones I can think of in recent history were those 2 women from Northern Ireland – one Catholic one Protestant – who genuinely tried to bring peace.
Even the other Brandt – Willy – for his policy of Ostpolitik opening up dialog with the East Germans – pretty much a political award as far as I could see..
OldAFSarge, good analysis. More common sense than in entire State Department’s “product”.
Bill, the Peace Prize is determined by a very leftist subset of the Norwegian legislature. The science Noble Prizes are much more legitimate. These are determined by the Swedish Academy. I follow the chemistry awards, and these have only minor issues.
If Norway was smart they would reform the awarding of the Peace Prize. It’s a joke these days. Maybe the King of Norway should step in.
NaCly Dog – they are such a joke one can see the overt politics – Jimmy Carter? Obama? Interesting too about who is responsible for them. I have a friend from Norway – said despite the country being awash in oil – they tax the people to the hilt thinking “nobody should be rich” So for this prize being picked by the most left of the legislature – is saying something!
Said she bought a lunch on a ferryboat from Sweden recently – an ordinary cafeteria lunch – $80.
Guess that is why so many Norwegians with any desire to make anything are in Minnesota
Daniel Drezner, writing in Foreign Policy, had some good words about this, too:
What ALL y’all said. The Peace Prize is a freakin’ joke.
Don’t forget, when Yugoslavia was falling apart the Eurocrats saved countless lives by halting the violence…oh wait, they asked for us, didn’t they.
The European Union is a state of mind – and what a f`’ing state that mind is in.
I pay Europe’s debts in £’s (loads of them) – that way at least I get a marginally better return than if I used their own toytown money. The Moral debts of Europe is another matter. They were paid in a very different, more fluid and irreplaceable,currency by my/our forebears. When asked about the Eu., I paraphrase a gallant American Captain who fought a swift and bloody battle with another gallant (But English) Captain; “Don’t give up The English Channel”
This pretty well says it all – borrowed from the FB page
http://www.ihatethemedia.com/mmmmm-free-nobel-peace-prize-with-an-order-of-shrimp-tacos
@Bill, here’s my own contribution:
http://hogday-afternoon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/we-all-deserve-little-piece.html